Soul x Maka: Burlesque
by LaurneaTheFirst
Summary: This is my first fanfic., but regardless of that, I don't want anyone holding back on the feedback! This story is based off of Cher and Christina Aguilera's "Burlesque" film. Maka Albarn is a young woman working in a poor excuse for a diner in New York, when one day she finally decides that she has had enough! She goes to Death City to pursue her dreams as a dancer (: RATED M!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey there! Just wanted to drop in for one moment to say that this is indeed my first fanfiction, _however_ I welcome criticism. Please R&R! Oh, and I rated this story 'M' for later chapters ;3 (; heheheheheheh... ENJOY! :D Before I forget, let me put a disclaimer in here. I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER AND I ALSO DO NOT OWN BURLESQUE... AND I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE SONGS IN THIS CHAPTER NEITHER! Okay, enjoy and don't forget to harrass me with feedback ;D ! ;***

 _CHAPTER 1:_

Another morning, another minimum wage pay for a job she can't even stand. Maka Albarn wasn't one who shivered at the thought of hard labor, so why was she always the one who got the short end of the stick? The thought could barely give her the motivation to even trudge over to the diner at which she worked at. _Sam's Stop and Eatery._ What a joke, but the job put food in her stomach and clothes on her back.

"I'm here!" Maka entered through the double doors, announcing her arrival, undoubtedly dejected. Her coworker, Ashley looked up from her tray of dirty dishes on her way to the kitchen and greeted Maka with a smile when she heard her come in. Maka didn't really care for greetings though. She ushered over to the back room to change into her uniform without so much as acknowledging any of the employees. She wasn't one to act so rudely towards others, but she's had enough of this place and she generally kept to herself. Maka removed her normal jeans and t-shirt and replaced them with a frilly black and white maid outfit, complete with a black dress that met the middle of her thigh, exposing her infamous silky, long legs and a frilly, white apron over it. Naturally, she tied her long, ash blonde hair into pigtails like she always did when she worked on the floor, despite her boss' orders to wear her hair out more often. He's her boss, not her hair stylist.

Maka worked on the floor from 9am to 5pm like always. She never failed to correctly put in the customers' orders and serve them their food within a decent time. At the end of her boring repeat of a work day, Maka sat herself up on the bar next to Ashley before heading home.

"How much did'ya, get today?" Maka pulled out the cash from her apron pocket and counted, unfolding each dollar bill. "$16.50. Not too bad, I guess." Ashley just blankly stared at the glass doors, waiting for another customer. Poor thing had to work a double on a Friday. Maka almost felt obligated to take the double off her hands so that Ashley could go back to her 2 year old munchkin, it's not like she had much to do after work today anyway.

"Ashley, how's Daniel? He doin' okay, these days?" Ashley smiled at the thought of her son. "Yeah, he's been okay. I wish that I could just spend a little more time with him." Maka saw an opportunity, so she took it. "It's funny you say that, because I was just about to ask you if you want me to handle the double today?" Ashley snapped her head back to Maka with a surprised expression wiping away her previously glum one. "You'd really do that? I mean, I don't want to burden you with my problems." She only shook her head. "Nah, it's fine. I don't have much to do today anyway. Besides, I could use a bit more money." The older woman removed herself from the side of the bar and stood in front of the ash blonde. "Thank you so much, Maka. I really appreciate it." Maka shook her head and waved her hand, signaling Ashley to get going.

After Ashley leaves, Sam comes out of his office, obviously in a rush. Maka tries calling out to him to get his attention, but his excessive mumbling only made it harder for him to hear her. **"SAM!"** The manager jumped at the sound of her booming voice and only glared in response. Maka descended from the bar and walked over to her boss. "When can I get my next paycheck? I was planning on visiting-." "Albarn, why do you insist on bothering me about this every damn day? Can't you take a hint, already?" Maka shot her best glare right back at him for acting so rudely towards her. "Well _excuse me_. I didn't think I would have to tell you how to do your damn job. _You're_ the manager, so you should've already taken care of it. I've been asking you for a week now!" The lame excuse for a manager rolled his eyes at his persistent employee and walked out the door. "You'll get it when you get it. Stop bothering me." "I _will_ leave, Sam! I'm not afraid to walk out on you, ya' know!" Sam stopped in his tracks and turned to her one last time, now with a scowl instead of a glare. "Everyone's replaceable, Maka-dear," and with that, he left without saying anything else or waiting for anything else to be said

 _Fine then!_ Maka stomped back in the back room, changed back into her normal clothes and decided that enough was enough. A girl could only take so much from a guy like him and she was certainly not going to stay at a place that didn't even need or acknowledge her. _She was done._

Before Maka left the diner, she turned the 'open' sign to 'closed' and at first, hesitated, but then rushed over to the cash register and took the money that Sam owed her, being careful not to seem like she was stealing. If anything, _Sam_ stole from _her._ With that, Maka ditched the diner and never turned back, nor did she plan on turning back.

Walking down the busy New York streets to her apartment never felt so good. She found herself walking a bit slower than usual, taking in the scenery and thinking of how much she'd miss this place. Maka let down her pigtails and ran a hand through her soft hair as the wind gently caressed it. Walking with a bit of a pep in her step, the refreshed woman pulled out her mp3 player and her headphones, listening to an upbeat song that she hadn't listened to in quite some time.

 _ETTA JAMES – SOMETHING'S GOT A HOLD ON ME_

 _Oh oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah (Yeah)_

 _I get a feeling that I never, never, never, never had before, no no (Yeah)_

 _And I just gotta tell you right now that I_

 _I believe, I really do believe that_

 _Something's got a hold on me, yeah (oh, it must be love)_

 _Oohoh, something's got a hold on me right now, child (oh, it must be love)_

Maka began walking to the beat and humming the tune. She wanted so badly to sing along, but it only would've made it awkward for the people around her if she broke out into song out of nowhere like this were some musical.

 _Let me tell you now_

 _I got a feeling, I feel so strange_

 _Everything about me seems to have changed_

 _Step by step, I got a brand new walk_

 _I even sound sweeter when I talk_

 _[Chorus]_

 _I said, oh, oh, oh, oh_

 _heyyyy baby_

 _Oh, it must be love (you know it must be love)_

 _Let me tell you know_

 _Something's got a hold on me, yeah (oh, it must be love)_

 _Oohoh, something's got a hold on me right now, child (oh, it must be love)_

The song's bouncy tune only made Maka even more relieved and happy. She admitted to herself that she truly did feel a bit nervous about leaving New York and starting a new life, but she also admitted to herself that this was something that must be done. She had to break free and be reborn into the person she really wanted to be.

 _Let me tell you now_

 _I never felt like this before_

 _Something's got a hold on me that won't let go_

 _I believe I'd die if I only could_

 _I sure feel strange, but it sure feels good_

 _[Chorus]_

 _Let me tell you know_

 _My heart feels heavy, my feet feel light_

 _I shake all over, but I feel alright_

 _I never felt like this before_

 _Something's got a hold on me that won't let go_

 _I never thought it could happen to me_

 _Got me heavy without the misery_

 _I never thought it could be this way_

 _Love's sure gonna put a hurting on me_

 _[Chorus]_

 _Yeah, he walks like love (you know he walks like love)_

 _He talks like love (you know he talks like love)_

 _Makes me feel alright (makes me feel alright)_

 _In the middle of the night (in the middle of the night)_

 _La na la la (la la la la)_

 _La na la la (la la la la)_

By the end of the song, the carefree, young woman had arrived at her cramped apartment and set down her keys on the counter like she always did after work. Today was different, though. She didn't feel unaccomplished or exhausted. In fact, she felt more alive than ever.

"All right. Time to get packin'!" Maka rummaged through her closet and threw all her clothes out on the bed and took her large suitcase from her closet's top shelf. Maka danced all around her apartment as she played her music, full-blast on her speakers and packed up. All her valuables were tossed into the suitcase as Maka made haste and within two-three hours, Maka had completed all her packing. The last thing she needed to pack with her was a photo that she kept very dear to her as time passed. It was a picture of Maka with her mother, Kami Albarn and her father Spirit Albarn. It was the last thing she had to remember her deceased parents with.

"Don't worry Mama, Papa. I'm coming for you guys, just you wait," Maka whispered, kissing the memento and tucking it into her bag.

* * *

"I'd like a one-way ticket to Death City, Nevada, please." Maka slid the money over to the ticket agent with her identification. The ticket agent counted the money and then printed out her flight ticket and gave her back her ID. "You're all set. Have a nice trip, ma'am," he said, sending her off with a smile. Maka habitually smiled back and made off on her way.

Maka boarded the plane later on that day and left her life back in New York with absolutely no regrets whatsoever. She had just given herself the chance to finally pursue her ultimate dream and she had every intention of taking it. Finally, she'll get to be able to show everyone her talent and do what she loves to do… dance.

 **A/N: So how was it? Don't worry, I know it's a bit boring during this part, but I promise that the next chapter is gonna get more interesting (: . Thanks for reading and I'll keep you all updated! I plan on making the next chapter fairly soon, but my brain can only process so much at once Dx so I'll try getting a couple more chapters in by tomorrow night. Thanks again! R &R and I'll see ya' soon (: Stay beautiful! (;**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello again! :D So this chapter took longer than I wanted it to, but I managed to fit one more into my day, so here you go! This one is a bit longer than the last, but I put a couple of surprises in this chapter for you to make the movie work with the characters of Soul Eater. Speaking of which, SOUL IS FINALLY HERE! I gave him a big part just because... ;3 Alright, enough jibber jabber. ON WITH THE DISCLAIMER! :D I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER NOR DO I OWN BURLESQUE OR ANY OF THE SONGS THAT ARE CONTAINED WITHIN THIS CHAPTER! Enjoy! (: ;***

 _CHAPTER 2:_

The next day, Maka's plane landed in Death City, Nevada. _Finally… That took longer than expected._ The young woman stepped off of the plane, suitcase in hand and walked straight into the city. She was captivated by the structure of the city's buildings… or the city itself for that matter. _I see where they get 'Death' city from…_ she thought to herself.

Before anything, Maka knew she had to find somewhere to sleep for a while. Sleeping on the park benches wasn't really an option, so she checked into the closest hotel and quickly walked down the hall to her room. _Room 315… 315, 315… Here it is!_ She glanced up at the numbers on each door and upon finding her own, she unlocked her door with her room key.

The room wasn't too spacious, given the circumstances, but as long as there was a bed for her to lay down on, she didn't mind at all. A queen sized bed in the middle of the room, a large dresser with a mirror in front of the bed, a nightstand to the left and right of the bed and a bathroom in the right, upper corner of the room and a closet to the lower right of the room. Maka threw her suitcase on the floor and flopped on the bed, feeling the jet lag kicking in. _A little nap shouldn't hurt. The job hunt can wait a bit._

Feeling too exhausted to stand back up and fix her clothes, Maka drifted off to sleep without so much of a second thought.

* * *

SOUL'S P.O.V

I was awakened from a good night's sleep by my cell's ringtone. I groaned, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and threw a heavy hand back down on the bed, reaching for my cell. The name, _"Sarah"_ flashed on the screen. That was enough to make me stand up out of bed as quickly as humanly possible.

"Hello?" "Hey, sweetie! I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" I rubbed my eyes once again and cleared my throat, trying to hide my fatigue. "Nah, nah, you're fine. What's up?" "Nothing, I just missed you. I've been working so much lately and I haven't even had a chance to catch up with you." I walked out of my bedroom and into the kitchen. Figured that moving around a bit would wake me up a bit more so I could actually hold a conversation with the girl. "Yeah? What's been going on?" Sarah didn't seem the least bit tired, even though she's been working so much. Must be hard being an actress. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. There was a mishap on the stage." "A mishap?" "Yes! The lead actress was performing her monologue when all of a sudden, a sandbag fell from the walkway, above. Poor thing got hit right in the head," she explained, clearly faking her pity. I knew damn well that she was dying to play the lead in that play, so she wasn't foolin' anyone.

"Oh really, that's a shame. Is she okay?" Sarah cleared her throat a bit and continued. "I suppose so. She passed out after the situation with the sandbag, so we rushed her to the hospital and the doctor's said that she just needs to sleep a bit to give her head some time to heal. She was hit pretty hard it seems, but the doctors assured us that she would make a full recovery in time." Sarah sounded pretty cold-hearted right there, like she wasn't even bothered by the fact that one of her fellow performers were injured. "So now who's gonna play her part?" I already knew that she was going to say that she took the part, but I figured that it would be best to just let her talk it out. "I took the part in her place and my understudy will take my place instead. That only means that I have to work even harder, though."

"Work is work, babe. I know you've been dying to play the lead, so just enjoy it while it lasts." It was kind of hard being away from my fiancé for so long, but that was the life of an actress. Traveling is a big part of the job, so I just have to get used to it. Being left alone is not cool, though. Not cool at all… What was I gonna do, though? Cheat on her? That's even more uncool than being left alone and _I'm not_ an uncool guy.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I have to be on stage in a little bit, so I'll try texting you later on, okay honey? I love you." She quickly brushed me off. I didn't give it a second thought. "Alright, love you too. Talk to you soon." I hung up. "UGGHHH!" An exaggerated groan left my mouth and I ran my fingers through my snow white, fluffy hair. "Screw it, man." Checking the time, I headed to the bathroom and took a quick shower. My towel was wrapped around my hips, exposing my large scar running from my left shoulder to my right hip. Like always, I stared at it in the mirror with disgust. It was so damn ugly to me, but my reason for getting it didn't shame me in the least.

One night, Sarah and I went to a bar. I remember giving her shit for wearing such provocative clothing, but like always, she never listens to anyone but herself. There I was, getting our drinks, like a good boyfriend and of course, I turn around and who else but some creepy drunkard is hitting on her… just like I told her would happen. Naturally, I stormed after him and saw him trying to lead her out of the bar to god knows where… _"Hey! If you know what's good for ya' get lost, punk. She's my girl!"_ Everything around me went red and before I could even begin thinking straight again, I start throwing punches at the guy. The fight got more intense and the douchebag ended up breaking a liquor bottle and slashing me in the torso with it. Sarah pulled me out of there as quick as she could and took me home.

I guess it wasn't so bad if I got it as a price for saving a loved one, but I just couldn't bare looking at something so hideous… and it was permanently marked on _my_ body. "Jeez, what a pain." Returning back to my room, I looked through the closet and threw on a white, button-up shirt, unbuttoned to the second button with a grey sweater and a pair of jeans. Figured it would be better to just lounge around for a bit before work later tonight, so I grabbed a bagel, loaded with cream cheese and sat on my couch.

Things around here have gotten pretty slow without Sarah around to drag me all around town with her. *sigh* It was like I missed her, yet I really didn't give a shit. Not having her around became a natural thing after a while, not that that's a good thing. Truthfully, all that I'm really concerned about right now is my rent. With her gone all the time, am I really going to be able to pay off this rent all by myself? Who knows? For now, I'll just focus on work. That comes first.

* * *

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

"Mmmm…" I groaned as I woke up from a deep sleep. Noticing that I've slept for quite some time, I checked the clock, only to find that it's 7pm already. _Damn… forget the job hunt for now. Everything's going to close soon._ I sat up in bed and checked my cell phone for any recent calls or messages, but there was only one from Ashley. _'Where r u? Boss is strict 2day. Must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed lol'_ I replied back as soon as I could. _'I quit yesterday. U won't be seeing me anytime soon. Ttyl!'_ I sent the message and blocked all my old coworkers' numbers. I left that place for a reason so I'm not going to leave any ties attached.

"Oh well, it may be late, but I should still have a quick look around the city." Deciding to head for the town, I hid all my valuables in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom and made my way downtown.

It was quite dark when I headed outside, but defense mechanisms had never been an issue for me in the past, so I wasn't bothered. The city was considerably much smaller than New York City, as obvious as it would seem, which made me feel a bit better about moving to a new city. This way, I wouldn't have too much trouble figuring out my way around.

I past a few coffee shops, some clothing stores and of course the huge school at the top of a huge hill. The city looked pretty lively at night with the colorful neon lighted signs and billboards, but again, they were not as dramatic and extravagant as New York City's scenery. It's not a bad thing… just a different thing. I'd had enough time looking around, so I figured that the best course of action would be to pick up some food and head home. As I was on my way to a fast food joint, I noticed something. Something different, something promising, something interesting to say the least. I looked up at the building in front of me and heard sweet jazz music being played. For a minute or two, I couldn't even move because I was so taken by the sound.

But then… "Oh no! I'm so late!" I heard a girl squeal from atop the veranda of the building. Instinctively, I looked over to where the squeal came from and saw a long, black haired girl with porcelain skin, dressed in almost nothing… _almost nothing…_ WHY?! A man with blue hair shaped into a star was leaning against the wall next to the door, staring at her. "Just c'mon, Tsubaki. Liz wants you out there," he spoke a little louder than need be, but that didn't seem to bother the woman one bit. In fact, I think she actually smiled a bit. She swiftly stole a kiss from the man and they both rushed back into the building together.

I stood there, baffled and torn. What was this place and should I really go in? It took me a moment or two to make up my mind, but I figured that if I didn't, I'd just regret it later. I swallowed my pride and marched right into the building, whether it was a club, a bar or whatever it was… and I was automatically amazed at the sight.

"Yo! Miss! You comin' in or what?!" a voice shouted. Again, I searched for the source and it was none other than the blue haired man from before standing behind a desk, scowling at me with his arms crossed. I shyly stepped closer to the desk, clearly showing that I'm not very familiar with this kind of place. "$20" he demanded holding out his hand. I perked up and rummaged through my purse in search for a twenty dollar bill. "Oh, that's right. Here." I gave him the twenty and he stared at me a bit more, scanning me from head to toe with a cocked eyebrow. "You've never been here before, have you? I've never seen you before." "Nah, I just moved here and saw this place and just walked in I guess." Blue-haired dude tucked the twenty dollar bill in the cash register and looked over at the large stage. The lights at the bar and table lights have now dimmed and the stage lights were the only ones who were really beginning to illuminate. "Well, the show's about to start, so why don't you take a look?" he asked. The man seemed a bit pushy, but I wasn't in the mood to give someone an attitude adjustment, so I took a seat at the bar where I could clearly see the stage over the many customers' heads.

The band began to play another tune as the red velvet curtains rose, showing a group of girls surrounding one lady in the middle, all wearing suggestive clothing as that black-haired girl had before. The all danced to the beat of the music and then broke the circle surrounding the woman in the middle to show the audience all their faces.

 _CHER – WELCOME TO BURLESQUE_

 _Show a little more,_

 _Show a little less,_

 _Add a little smoke_

 _Welcome to Burlesque,_

 _Everything you dream of,_

 _But never can possess_

 _Nothing's what it seems_

 _Welcome to Burlesque,_

 _[Chorus:]_

 _Oh, everyone is buying,_

 _Put your money in my hand,_

 _If you got a little extra_

 _well, give it to the band,_

 _You may not be guilty_

The blonde woman in the middle sang with a beautiful, bittersweet voice that transcended throughout the club. She was very well built, as well as the other girls and all of them clearly had the talent to dance. None of the other girls sang, so I was left wondering what their voices sounded like, but I was entranced nonetheless.

 _But you're ready to confess_

 _Tell me what you need,_

 _Welcome to Burlesque,_

 _You can dream of Patty,_

 _Do it at your risk_

 _Us, twins will grant you mercy_

 _But not your every wish,_

 _Kim will keep you guessing,_

 _So cool and statuesque_

 _"Behave yourself" says Black*Star_

 _Welcome to Burlesque,_

A spotlight shone down on a scowling blue haired bouncer as the blonde woman sang his name and the audience began to laugh at his expression. The dancers all smiled and winked at him, knowingly, but he only huffed a sigh in response as he glared at the singer. I couldn't help but a chuckle a bit to myself as well.

 _[Chorus:]_

 _Oh, everyone is buying,_

 _Put your money in my hand,_

 _If you want a little extra,_

 _Well, you know where I am,_

 _Something very dark_

 _Is playing with your mind_

 _It's not the end of days,_

 _It's just a bump and grind_

 _Show a little more_

 _Show a little less_

 _Add a little smoke_

 _Welcome to… Burlesque_

The song came to an end and the audience roared with cheers as clapping, as did I. I was undeniably taken by this place after that number and I couldn't help, but want to see more. The dancers took a break and the band played their own songs as they transitioned to the next performance. _This is what I have been looking for! This is the place for me, I just know it is! I should ask that woman to see if they're hiring._

Settling my thoughts, I turn my stool back to the bar only to be surprised by someone very unexpected. Leaning over the bar, perching his chin up on his hand was a man that I had never seen before in my life. His hair was pure white and his eyes were a sparkling, blood red that seemed really… _pretty._ He was handsome, I'll give him that. The man was staring right into my eyes and never broke the gaze, which only tinged my cheeks with a pink color. He smirked, clearly noticing my blush, but I eventually broke the gaze, scowling at the ground. _Who is this guy and why was he looking at me like that? Doesn't he know it's not polite to stare? Jeez… talk about rude!_ Though I thought this, I couldn't bring myself to yell at him, or say anything, really. I only waited for him to speak up or walk away, whichever came first.

* * *

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

After Liz's performance, I noticed that we had a customer sitting at the bar at the last minute. _I should probably ask her if she wants something to drink._ I walked closer to her and the closer I came to her, the more appealing she looked to the eye. She wasn't ugly by any means. Her ash blonde hair was let loose, cascading down her back, straightly which made her look even cuter. From what I saw, this woman was pretty innocent. She wore a white, button-up blouse and a pair of black leggings and boots to go with it. I guessed she wasn't really planning to come to a place like this, considering that she's not exactly dressed to go to a club. More like the park.

I was leaning up against the bar when she turned around, but from the look on her face, it seemed that she wasn't expecting someone to be right there in front of her when she turned around. Her emerald green eyes looked stunningly at me and I caught her blush a bit at my stare. I had no intention of breaking eye contact, so I only teased her a bit more with a sly smirk like I did with most girls around her. She whipped her head in another direction and made a bothered face, so I decided that I had teased her quite enough… _for today._

"Can I get you anything to drink?" I asked invitingly. She seemed to have relaxed a bit at my question. She seemed to have hesitated, looking a bit sorry, though that quickly went away as she smirked humorously to herself. She looked at me at the corner of her eye and smiled devilishly at me, making me gulp my confidence back down. "Only if you're buyin'," she said teasingly. _Oh, so that's how she plays!_ I laughed and teased back, "A drink in exchange for..?" "In exchange for a new employee." She looked pretty serious… come to think of it, she looked pretty into it when Liz was performing with the girls. "You looking to work with the big girls up there?" I asked, making her a light drink. She looked pretty small to me, so I figured she would be a lightweight. "Yeah, I am actually." She didn't hesitate talking about it at all. She actually seemed pretty confident to me… Maybe she could make it up there with that attitude, but I only wondered if she had the talent to make it up there. A good attitude is a great start, but you'll get nowhere if you don't have what it takes.

"Do you have the talent? That's the big question," I said mixing together her drink. She softly nodded, staring up at me with those big, green eyes. "I do," she said. I nodded my head and smiled a toothy grin at her, showing her my shark-like teeth. She didn't flinch in the slightest, though. Actually, instead of freaking out, she seemed more comfortable seeing it, which wasn't the first, but was one of the few.

Pouring the colorful drink into a glass, I passed it over to her and she curiously looked into the glass carefully. "What is it?" "Good and on the house. Try it." The woman didn't think twice about chugging the liquor down, which could've been a mistake if it were anybody else. She's just lucky that I'm a cool guy. "What's your name?" she asked, trying to talk over the music. "Soul. You?" "Maka." She held out a small, dainty hand for me to shake and I gladly did just that. _Maka, huh? Interesting…_

 **A/N:** **Did you notice my little alterations? Haha, I had to make the song work for the characters since the real Burlesque soundtrack included the characters from the movie's names. Who else thinks Sarah's a bit on the sadistic side ;o ? I guess that's just 'showbiz'! I'll try to get a head start on Chapter 3 tonight and hopefully get to upload it tonight if I can get it all down, if not, expect the Chapter to be uploaded early tomorrow. I'm gonna try to stay on top of these for a while since there's a lot going on in the story, so rest assured. Okay, back to work! I'll see ya' soon! Stay beautiful! (; ;***


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So here we are at Chapter 3 of Soul x Maka: Burlesque. I'd like to think that I'm on a roll here! I'm still gonna keep working on the next chapter since tomorrow's Sunday and all. I don't think I have anymore short weeks of school for a while, so after Sunday, I'll have to make do with updating the story one or two chapters a day. Constructive criticism is welcomed, so please harrass me with feedback! (: NOW FOR THE DISCLAIMER!: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER, BURLESQUE OR ANY OF THE SONGS MENTIONED IN THIS CHAPTER! Enjoy reading Chapter 3! (: ;***

 _CHAPTER 3:_

 _MAKA'S P.O.V._

Soul seemed pretty nice, despite his looks. We had talked short while, but even though it was brief, it felt like we knew each other since childhood. "Well, Maka, you say you have talent, you say you wanna be up on that stage over there… Also, you seem like a nice girl, so here, I'll help you out." Soul beckons me closer to him and whispers in my ear, as if telling me a top dollar secret. He hadn't given me a reason not to trust him so far, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt and leaned forward.

"Go up those stairs, pass the stage and ask for 'Liz'. She's the big boss around here. Give her your information and I'll pull some strings for you if you're a good girl," he teased. I would've Maka-chopped him, but seeing as he gave me some valuable information, I let his little innuendo slide… _this time._ I pulled back from Soul and nodded my head. "I get your point, however, I'm a big girl. I can handle this all by myself." I followed his directions without even giving him so much as a chance to retort back.

I made my appearance upstairs, but I doubt that anyone truly noticed I was there in the first place. Like I had expected, it was completely crowded up here and there was so much going on at once. Ladies from left to right were running around half-naked looking for their costume parts, others were quickly trying to apply their dramatic-as-hell makeup on before the next number, while others were complaining to what appeared to be the costume designer about how some pieces were falling off of their costumes. I almost got trampled over countless times without any form of apology. _HMPH! How rude!_ I couldn't really blame them though, I mean they _are_ on a tight schedule from the looks of things.

I felt bad for the costume designer who was being pestered from left to right with complaints and whines. He looked like he wanted to rip his hair out as each girl added onto his list of things to do. I eyed him quite a bit, trying to burn the image of his golden eyes and black hair with three white stripes on the right side of his head into my brain so I'd remember who he is next time I come for an interview or audition.

When the girls all left him alone, that's when I decided to finally ask him to point me in the direction of 'Liz'. I approached him timidly and asked away. "Excuse me, sir. Could you tell me where I might find 'Liz'?" He didn't hesitate to look up at me silently and point over to the blonde who had been singing and dancing on stage not too long ago. She looked a bit tense, but I couldn't back down now, so I approached her carefully, making sure not to upset her. "Excuse me, miss? Your name is Liz, right?" I tried to word my sentences the best I could so I wouldn't come off as rude or impolite, but it didn't seem like Liz cared so much. She looked up at me from cleaning the makeup brushes and nodded. "Hello, my name is Maka Albarn. It's nice to meet you." I held out my hand to shake hers, but she shook her head instead. "Nah, sweetheart, you don't want to touch these filthy hands." She lifted her hand to show the soapy foundation clinging to her palm from washing the brushes. "What can I do for you, Maka?" Liz asked. _Wow… she seems nicer than I thought she would be._ "Well, you see, I saw your performance earlier and I was looking to work for you here." "Where have you danced?" Wasn't expecting that question. "Oh, well, you see, I've never been enrolled in a dance academy, but-." Liz laughed and looked at the costume designer from before.

"Honey, I understand. We're a bit tight on schedule today, so how about you sign up for our next audition? Give your information to Kid, over there and we'll give you a call when auditions come up, alright?" Liz instructed. I knew they were awfully busy, so I decided that it would be best not to harass her with questions and statements at the moment. "Alright, I understand." "Good girl. Kid, come here, honey." Liz beckoned Kid to come this way and so he did. "Kid, this woman here wants to sign up for the next audition. Take down her information and put it on my desk, will you?" "Sure. Here." Kid handed me a piece of paper and pen and I wrote down my name, number and email address, handing it back to him. "Gotcha. Take care, alright?" "Thanks, Kid." Liz thanked. The two of them looked pretty close… I wonder why that is. _None of my business…_

I was headed to return back to the bar to talk to Soul again before I left, but before anything else, a woman who had been scurrying up the stairs had collided into me, making us both fall on the ground. "Watch where you're going, pipsqueak! Jeez…" The woman I had bumped into was wearing cat-eye sunglasses, a black, spiked choker, a black leather mini skirt with a big, white fur shall over her black bra. _Who the hell dresses like this in public?! I understand dressing like this in this burlesque club, but c'mon now… this is ridiculous!_ I wanted to tell this purple haired, golden eyed, busty chick off, but that would be unprofessional, which is not my style.

Liz looked over at the commotion and saw the overexposed female arrive. "Blair, seriously?" Liz didn't look very happy with the woman. "What now, Elizabeth? Did I do something wrong?" The woman named Blair was clearly trying to act innocent, which didn't suit her bad attitude at all. Liz didn't look convinced either way. "You come in an hour late and expect me to greet you with open arms? This is the second time you've come in late!" "Alright, alright, already. Save the lecture, Liz, I have to get ready for my number." Blair walked away from Liz like she owned the place which earned a tough glare form Liz and Kid. _That girl has some nerve…_

Blair sat down at a mirror and began getting ready for her performance. I sat there for a good minute, glaring at her in disbelief. I can't believe she had the audacity to come in the way she did acting like this is her place, her time and we're all her slaves. Just when I thought that, as if on cue, Blair points to me and demands me to get her a drink. The long black haired woman from before comes out from behind me and defends me. "Blair, if you were here instead of going to get a manicure every week, then maybe you'd know that she doesn't work here yet." I looked at the girl with astonishment. She didn't even know me, yet she stood up to Blair for me. _She must be nicer than I gave her credit for._

"Well then, she's not busy then, is she, Tsubaki?" Blair retorted. I already didn't like this woman and it hasn't even been my first day of work, yet. I had enough at that point and finally got the courage to say something. "You know something, Blair. You're just too damn beautiful." "I know. Stare if it pleases you. I don't mind admirers." She snootily said. I rolled my eyes and continued. "No one would ever know." "Know what, dear?" "That you're a dude." Blair snapped back to look at me, but by the time she turned around, I was already waving my hand at her and making my way back downstairs where I belonged.

I returned back downstairs, only to find that the bar was completely packed. The waiters and waitresses seemed to be having trouble keeping up with all of the orders, but I knew somebody with waitress experience who would be perfect for the job. I snuck over to the bar where there was a tray left over and picked it up to start helping out. Like I had back at the diner in New York, I went over to different tables, picked up emptied glasses of liquor and wrote down orders for the customers. It was a bit different working at a club such as this one, but the waitress experience did come in handy for the help, so I didn't complain at all.

My tray had become full of empty glasses, so I trailed my way out of the crowd of drunkards and sat back down at the bar in front of Soul who had been watching me go around. "That man over there with the fedora and the sunglasses wants two shots of patron and his lady friend next to him wants a cosmopolitan. The rest of the orders are written down right here for you." I handed him the notepad and clipped the pen on my shirt like I always used to. He stared at me with wonder and disbelief. "What are you doing?" "Helping out. Looked like you guys needed an extra hand and I have waitress experience back in New York, so why not help a new friend?" I smiled up at him, but he still looked reluctant to let me give him a hand. "I don't know about this, Maka." "C'mon, Soul. Look, you paid for my drink, so let's just call this 'paying my dues'." Again, Soul still looked a bit reluctant, which was understandable, but still, I wasn't about to take no for an answer. "Soul," I stared at him with innocent, puppy-dog eyes. "please?" He studied my face a bit, but then seemed to give in. "Fine. Get goin'." He left me sitting there with a small smirk on my face and began making the drinks I ordered.

* * *

That night, I worked on the floor until closing time and during my time there, I watched every single performance. The band began playing the next song for the number that Blair was supposed to perform, but instead, Tsubaki came out in her place. Tsubaki was wearing diamond accessories all over, long black gloves, partly transparent underwear and a pushup bra that showed off her busty breasts and flawless skin. This time, her hair wasn't in the ponytail that it had been in before. This time, Tsubaki's hair was let down and messy, giving her the look of just coming out of the bedroom. It gave her more sex appeal, which meant more money to be made. The band's music introduced her as she shimmied her way to the front and center of the stage.

 _MARILYN MONROE – DIAMONDS ARE A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND_

 _A kiss on the hand_

 _May be quite continental,_

 _But diamonds are a girl's best friend._

 _A kiss may be grand_

 _But it won't pay the rental_

 _On your humble flat_

 _Or help you at the automat._

 _Men grow cold_

 _As girls grow old,_

 _And we all lose our charms in the end._

 _But square-cut or pear-shaped,_

 _These rocks don't lose their shape._

 _Diamonds are a girl's best friend._

I had noticed that Tsubaki wasn't really singing like Liz had been in the previous performance. I wondered why that was… _Maybe only a select few of the girls actually sing and dance._ It didn't take too much away from the performance. Tsubaki's dance was suggestive enough to keep the men from even bothering with who's singing or not. It didn't seem to matter to anyone in the audience, really. This is what they were here for; to watch the dancers dance.

 _Tiffany's!_

 _Cartier!_

 _Black Starr!_

 _Frost Gormham!_

 _Talk to me Harry Winston._

 _Tell me all about it!_

 _There may come a time_

 _When a lass needs a lawyer,_

 _But diamonds are a girl's best friend._

Tsubaki performed beautifully, but it quickly turned ugly when one person tried to steal her spotlight. Who other than Blair would come in the middle of the performance to try to make up for her absence? Blair was wearing a similar attire, only she decorated her costume with her fur shawl that she was wearing when she came in.

 _There may come a time_

 _When a hard-boiled employer_

 _Thinks you're awful nice,_

 _But get that ice or else no dice._

 _He's your guy_

 _When stocks are high,_

 _But beware when they start to descend._

 _It's then that those louses_

 _Go back to their spouses._

 _Diamonds are a girl's best friend._

 _I've heard of affairs_

 _That are strictly platonic,_

 _But diamonds are a girl's best friend._

 _And I think affairs_

 _That you must keep Masonic_

 _Are better bets_

 _If little pets get big baguettes._

 _Time rolls on,_

 _And youth is gone,_

 _And you can't straighten up when you bend._

 _But stiff back_

 _Or stiff knees,_

 _You stand straight at Tiffany's._

Tsubaki and Blair were fighting for dominance of the stage, but neither seemed to succeed. Blair always had to have the last say and action, though. I paid more attention to the performance rather than who was performing, but I ended up getting carried away with my thoughts and pictured myself up on stage. _Hmm… what would it be like if that were me up there?_

 _Diamonds! Diamonds!_

 _I don't mean rhinestones!_

 _But diamonds are a girl's best friend_

As I was daydreaming, the song had ended and Soul had to snap me out of it. " **MAKA!** " Soul was now shouting at me to get my attention and when he did, I blushed, quickly responding with a quick jolt. "Sorry, Soul." I apologized for getting off task. "It's fine. Look, Liz just saw you working on the floor and I told her about what you said. She told me to tell you that she'll let it slide since you've been a big help tonight. It's best not to go behind her back though. She is the boss after all." "I understand that. Thank you, Soul." "…no problem." Soul hesitated a bit, smiling up at me. I wonder what he's thinking about right now. Oh well, I went straight back to work to help finish up for the night.

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

With a thanks, Maka went right back out on the floor. I watched her disappear into the crowd, but I couldn't help but wonder… Why _did_ I help her? It's not like I knew her personally or anything. She's just some stranger I met tonight at the bar, however I'm not too sure I would've given the other girls that come around here this much of my time. It was all a mystery to me as much as it must've been to her.

I get a tap on my shoulder as I'm watching Maka do her thing and when I turn my head, I know right then and there that I'm about to get bothered about my staring for all eternity. Next to me is Kid and Black*Star. "I know you've been gloomy all day from not getting a chance to speak to your God, so I've come here to bless you with my presence! HAHAHAHAHA!" Black*Star's being loud and obnoxious as ever, laughing like a complete idiot. Kid and I only rolled our eyes and conversed about whatever they felt the need to come over to talk to me about.

"I saw that, Eater," Kid said, smirking at me and nudging me gently in my arm. I scratched the back of my head nervously, not really knowing how to respond. "I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't done anything." It was obvious that they were talking about Maka, but what information was I supposed to give them? _'Oh, I met this girl named Maka earlier and she's smokin' hot'?_ Yeah, no thanks. "SOUL EATER EVANS, YOU BETTER NOT BE LYING TO YOUR G-!" Kid punched Black*Star square in the face, making him pass out with a blood fountain spewing from his head. "What he means is, we know you're lying. We totally saw you checking out that new Maka-chick." "No way. I've got a fiancé, you know. What would a cool guy like me want with a girl like her?" I pointed my thumb out at her, pretentiously… but even though I said all that, a part of me didn't even believe my own words.

Kid took me by the chin and made me look back in her direction. "Just look at her man. She's not ugly, she's not stupid. Maybe a bit reckless, but above all else, she's _here_ and for the taking." Kid wouldn't let go of my face, so I took the time to get a better look at Maka. She actually wasn't bad looking at all. She had long, slender legs, nice hips, decent sized breasts, long hair… Any guy would fall for her in an instant. But even so, I'm already engaged. Besides, I didn't even know the girl. Kid eventually let go when Maka returned back to the bar and set down the empty glasses.

"The brunette with the red dress wants a vodka on the rocks, the man with the James Dean hairstyle and the prescription glasses wants a sex on the beach and the bald man also wearing prescription glasses wants a whiskey straight up." She gave me a piece of paper with the orders on it. "Seems you're doing pretty well out there," Kid complimented Maka. She shook her head and grinned up at the second in charge. "I have experience working at a diner back in New York. I'm used to doing this kind of thing. I've been doing it long enough, that's for sure," she chuckled. She seemed like she takes really good care of herself. These next few days of working with her should be interesting.

 **A/N: I know this chapter's a bit shorter than the last one, but I'm really trying to get this beginning half out of the way and back to the good stuff (; I'm honestly, very happy that I could fit Black*Star's conceited nature and obnoxious attitude into the story, because I'll admit that the story just wouldn't be the same without it LOL! I'm so excited to dive further into the story so that everything starts falling into place. Anyway, I'm rambling ; So remember to please leave a review and harrass me with feedback! I'll see ya' soon! Stay beautiful! (; ;***


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Whew! Alright, here we go. Chapter Four of Soul x Maka: Burlesque. This took a little longer than I would've liked, but now we're finally getting to the good stuff. For all of you who have watched Burlesque before, you'd know that Tess (Cher) is more sarcastic and kind of smart-mouthed and pushed over the edge, however, given Liz's usual, laid back personality and feminine tendencies, I made Liz a bit more tolerable towards Maka who plays the role of Alli (Christina Aguilera). Don't worry, it'll all make sense within time. It'll all fall into place from here on out. Enjoy! NOW... DISCLAIMER TIME! I DO NOT OWN BURLESQUE, SOUL EATER NOR DO I OWN ANY OF THE SONGS CONTAINED WITHIN THIS CHAPTER! Happy reading (: ;***

 _CHAPTER 4:_

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

Every morning since I moved to Death City has been peaceful. It had been a week since I moved to D.C., yet I feel like I've been here for two years already. Today, I got up early, waiting for a package to arrive. I knew that it'd be arriving today, but I didn't know what time, so I woke up at 7am and impatiently waited for a knock on the door.

That night I first started working at the burlesque club, I figured it would do me some good to do a bit of research on burlesque clubs, fancy styles that they use, the makeup styles they used for the dancers, the type of women that usually performed at these types of clubs, anything there was to know. So I ordered a set of books online that night and arrived every single night after that one to work at the bar like I did before. Every night, there were different numbers that the dancers performed and each one was beautiful in its own way. I made sure to watch every single step and practice every single one to improve my own dancing. Think of it as preparation for the auditions.

The second night I worked at the club, Soul and I exchanged numbers and began talking every once in a while as friends. The third night, I greeted Tsubaki for the first _real_ time. She seemed awfully nice, so I only thought it would be fair to be nice back. We've talked a couple times when we've seen each other and she always seems to be there for me when Blair tries to boss me around, so I guess it's safe to say that I can count on her. It's almost embarrassing having a grown woman fight your battles for you. It's not like I couldn't handle Blair on my own, but the help was appreciated nonetheless.

Liz and I never really get a chance to speak, but we greet each other when we see each other, which is good enough for me at this point. All in all, things seem to be working in my favor; a contrast from when I was living in NYC. Sam had tried calling my cell phone on the second night of my stay in D.C., but I had no intention in telling him where I had run off to. I'm sure that he found out about the money I took from the register, so I imagine that if he knew where I was, he'd come after me in a heartbeat and demand me to pay him back. He was a pretty aggressive man in more ways than one, so I wasn't itching to reply back to him and give away my location.

Naturally, I blocked the man's number and left him nothing but a voicemail to answer to. I didn't miss NY at all. I had no family out there, no friends… Nothing really to call my own. In D.C., I was now with my family, I was on my way to making new friends, on my way to getting my dream job... what more could I ask for? I was fine right here. I knew I made the right decision to come here.

The hotel room was silent as I sat on the edge of the bed kicking my dangling feet. _I should probably get out of here instead of waiting around. I don't have work until waaaay later on, so there is no point in just sitting here, impatiently._ I decided to go down to a café to get some coffee. I came across a coffee shop called, "Uncle Bob's Rumba Coffee". Weird name, but I decided it'd be cool to try it out at least. I walked into the shop and went straight to the cash register, ordering an iced coffee with milk and two sugars, like always. Nothing special. They brought my coffee out pretty quickly, but I kind of wanted to walk around the city a little bit more, so I took my coffee and walked down the streets once more.

It was a beautiful sunny day, without a cloud blanketing the blue sky above. It really was the perfect day for a walk or a bike ride. Ironically enough, as I think this, who else on a yellow and black motorcycle pulls up next to me on the street and greets me with a good morning, other than Soul? Leave it up to him to show up just when I'm thinking about bike riding. "Good morning, sunshine," Soul greeted. "Good morning, Soul. I didn't know you rode a motorcycle." Soul lifted his helmet off of his head and shut the engine off as we talked. "Yeah? Well now you do. This machine right here is my baby. Had it ever since I was 13." "13? Wow, must be a strong bike to hold up for 11 years." Soul only patted his bike with a goofy grin on his face in response.

"So what are you doing up this early? I heard you like sleeping in," I asked. He seemed shocked that I knew something like that about him. "Who told you that?" "Oh, just a little fly on the wall." "Hah, yeah right. I bet it was Black*Star who told you that. That bastard's always barging into my house in the middle of the afternoon." I laughed at the thought of Black*Star yelling about his godliness. "He seems to be a pretty wild guy." "Yeah, I have no idea how Tsubaki puts up with him." I tilted my head to the side in confusion. "Tsubaki? What do you mean?" "You didn't know? Tsubaki and Black*Star are an item. They've been together for like 3 years now." My eyes widened at the thought of dear, sweet, pure Tsubaki being the girlfriend of such a rambunctious, conceited moron such as Black*Star. "I had no idea! I mean, I saw them kissing on the veranda, but you know how things are nowadays. I didn't know they were actually a thing." Soul shook his head at me with a smile on his face. "You're terrible, you know that Maka. Anyway, where are you headed?" I shrugged my shoulder at him and ran my fingers through my let-down hair. "I was just taking a walk. I'm sick of being cooped up in my hotel room all day long before work." "Well here, why don't you come take a ride with me? I got an extra helmet. I don't have much to do myself." I thought about it for a minute and figured that if it wouldn't be too much trouble, then why not?

"You promise that it's okay?" "Sure, why wouldn't it be? I offered, didn't I?" I was a little hesitant, but something in my mind told me 'what the heck.' So there I was, straddling Soul from behind on his bike, zooming through the streets of D.C. Every once in a while, Soul would check to see if I was okay out of consideration for someone who's never been on a motorcycle. It was fun riding on a motorcycle with Soul. I felt safe holding onto the closest person I had to a best friend. All we did was ride. We weren't headed to a particular destination, all we did was ride, not knowing where we were going. It was the most carefree feeling and it was certainly one of the best moments of my life so far.

Soul ended up driving us all the way around town, only to end back up at the park. We sat on the bench, slouching down in our seats, laughing for no real reason, except for the fact that we could. "So how was your first time riding on the back of a motorcycle, then?" "It was pretty cool. I like it. It just makes you feel free." Soul nodded knowingly and looked at the clear blue sky. "Thanks for giving me a ride, Soul. It was fun." "Anytime. You looked so lonely by yourself, I didn't want to just leave you there with nothing to do." He had a point, but I guess I never really thought of myself as a lonely person. It was interesting that he would think that.

"I guess I've always been that way, though. Usually I'm just a workaholic who works just to take some free time off my hands, so it's nice to have a change of pace every once in a while." Soul looked at me from the corner of his, mutely. "You've never just gone out with friends?" "Oh, don't get me wrong, I had plenty of friends that I loved hanging out with every once in a while during my college years, but ever since I left college, I guess I just fell out of contact with them. It happens." Soul shook his head. "You said you're from New York, right?" "Not necessarily. I was born in Death City, but then my father got transferred to another company in New York, so we all moved out there. When my parents passed away, they were buried here in Death City. I stayed out in New York all by myself since I was more familiar with the area than Death City." I may have said a bit too much than was necessary, but I had nothing to hide. I'm happier now that I've moved back to Death City. It didn't bother me in the slightest.

Soul sat up and looked me in the eye, speechless. Noticing his loss for words, I only shook my head with a saddened smile. "You don't have to say anything. I'm not sad and I have no regrets. I'm much happier here in D.C. than I ever was in NYC. Now, I can be with my parents again and I'm not so alone anymore." I smiled up at the sun, feeling a great relief to have told someone about my parents. Again, it may have been too soon to open up to Soul about something like this, but like I told him, I have no regrets. None whatsoever.

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

I couldn't even find the words to reply to Maka's confession about her parents. What so there to say? All I knew is that when I looked at her right then, she looked strong. Stronger than anyone I've ever come to know. Maybe she's got a rough past, but that's never excused her for anything. She's never let it. She's not anything like me. It's hard for me to admit, but she might just be as cool as I am, if not cooler. At least in that moment, she was. "Maka…" Maka paid no attention to my response. She just looked up at the sky with a calm smile and hopeful eyes. Why does this girl get into my mind like this? Why does she make me think these things about her? She was supposed to be a regular newcomer, yet she's got my head spinning with all these thoughts and wonders. _Why..?_

"Maka, you're one cool girl…" I whispered quietly to myself. She probably heard me, considering her widening smile.

Later on that day, I decided that I'd drive her home. We'd been out until around noon time, but she said that she was waiting for something to come in the mail, so she wanted to go back to check if it's there. It was best that I'd go home too. I hadn't called Sarah in a few days now, so she's probably worried.

When we arrived in front of Maka's hotel, she dismounted the bike and saw me off with a 'goodbye' and a 'see you at work, tonight'. I bid her farewell and zipped down the streets and around the corners to my apartment complex. I parked my bike outside and unlocked my apartment door. Sitting on my couch was none other than Black*Star. He scared the living shit out of me as he pounced off the couch and announced himself.

"HELLO COMMONER! I, THE GREAT BLACK*STAR, HAS COME TO MAKE YOUR LIFE WORTH LIVING!" "Save it, ya' loud mouthed monkey. How'd you even get in here?" Black*Star yawned of boredom and pointed to the balcony with his thumb. "Jeez, Black*Star, can't there be a day where I can have some privacy in my own home? What if I had someone over?" I asked, locking the door back up and closing the balcony window-door. "Someone like who? Makaaaaa?" I knew this would come back to haunt me… "Listen, Maka and I are just friends, got it? Sarah is my fiancé and I am going to marry _her._ " "Yeah, you keep saying that, but your eyes tell a different story, Eater." Black*Star picked at his ear with his pinky finger as I crinkle my nose at him in disgust.

"What are you even talking about, Star?" I took a seat next to him on the couch, putting my feet up on the coffee table and folding my hands over my stomach. An exasperated sigh escaped my lips, threatening to sigh my happiness away. "Look, dude, it's okay to like Maka. No one's gonna blame you for it." "Black*Star, do you hear what I'm telling you? Besides, Maka wouldn't go for a guy like me." Black*Star looked at me with a cocked eyebrow, not seeming confused. More like he was trying to get me to realize something. "How would you know that? You've only known her for a week and she never talks about guys or relationships." He was right about that, I'll give him that much. Sarah was my wife-to-be, though. Regardless if she is here with me or not, that won't change. I chose Sarah…

Black*Star seeing that I didn't have anything to say back, continued on. "Soul, you're my best friend and I know you well. So I know that you getting hung up on a girl like Sarah isn't like you. Sarah isn't the one for you and I know that just by lookin' at the two of you. Every time she calls, you act like you have to put a mask on for her and pretend to be someone you're not comfortable being. It tires you out and it tires us out having to watch you stoop down to a level like hers." Black*Star usually sounds like an idiot, but he's a lot more observant than we give him credit for. He's kind of right in a way. It does tire me out having to straighten up for her or having to keep up a conversation about how her life is so perfect, while I'm left behind in Death City wondering when she's ever gonna come back. It's tiring, but maybe she's the kind of girl I need. To straighten me out, to keep me going when I feel like quitting… Maybe she's the one. Then again, it's a hit or miss.

"I don't know, Black*Star. As far as I see it, she could possibly be the one for me. I know she's a long way away, but she's my girl. I can't think of anything else but that right now." Black*Star huffed a sigh and put a heavy hand on my back. "I know it's tough with her being so far away. You know this is how it's going to be from here on out, though if you decide to stick with her. Just make sure that you don't regret your choices." I nodded my head and Black*Star hit me on the back, hard. "ALRIGHT! ENOUGH OF THAT SERIOUS TALK, IT DOESN'T SUIT YOU! TREAT ME TO PIZZA, COMMONER! HAHAHAHAHA-!" I punched him upside the head, knocking him down with a dent on his head. "We'll go get pizza, but if you're so godly, then shouldn't you be paying for your commoners?" Black*Star jolted right back up to his feet as I walked out the door with my keys, twirling on my index finger. "YOU'RE RIGHT! PIZZA ON ME THEN!" He ran out after me to go get pizza. _Works every time…_

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

Later that I was getting ready for work, after prying my nose out of my new books that arrived earlier. I dressed up in a black cocktail dress and red platform heels with diamond earrings to top it off. The dress fit onto my body like a glove and looked very appealing as it showed off my curves. _Thank god for puberty. At least I'm not flat-chested anymore._ I let my hair down and curled my straight, blonde hair to give it a bit more texture and applied the tiniest bit of makeup to top off the look. I've been dressing up like this almost every night since working at the burlesque club. It made me feel more feminine and like I actually stood a chance being up on that stage with the other girls.

I walked over to the club and got there about the same time as the other girls and bartenders. Naturally, I walked over to my seat at the bar and waited for the club to start filling up, which didn't take too long at all. All night through, I rushed back and forth to the bartenders, back to the customers to give them their drinks as quickly as possible in the correct order. Like every night, I watched each performance carefully and tried memorizing the steps.

During the night, Blair's performance comes up and the band begins playing the music, putting her in the spotlight with a transparent body suit only covering her private areas, exposing the rest of her pale skin as her hair cascaded down her back in loose curls.

 _BETTE MIDLER – LONG JOHN BLUES_

 _"Doctor Long John. My dreams are full of Doctor Long John."_

 _I got a dentist who's over seven feet tall._

 _I have a dentist who's over seven feet tall._

 _His name is Doctor Long John_

 _and he answers every call._

 _You know, I went to Long John's office._

 _I said, "Doctor, the pain is killing me."_

 _I went to Long John's office._

 _I said, "Doctor, the pain is killing."_

 _He said, "Don't worry, baby._

 _It's just your cavity needs a little filling."_

 _He took out his trusty drill._

 _Told me to open wide._

 _He said he wouldn't hurt me,_

 _but he filled my whole inside._

 _Long John, Long John, don't you ever go away. No._

 _'Cause you thrill me when you drill me,_

 _and I don't need no novocain today._

 _Oh, when he got done drilin' he said,_

 _"Now, Miss Midler, that is going to cost you ten."_

 _"I was prepared to pay twenty"_

 _Yeah, yeah, yeah, when he got done drillin' he said,_

 _"Baby, that's gonna cost you ten._

 _But if it ever starts in to throbbing,_

 _come back and see old Long John_

 _again and again and again and again and again._

 _Oh, yeah. Yow!_

 _"Long John._

 _I sold my heart to Doctor Long John and I will never, never be the same._

 _Oh, that's so heavy I just gotta lay back."_

I watched the performance, watching every sway, rock and shake. I'll admit that although Blair's attitude is sour, her dancing isn't terrible. I guess that's why she's the top dog around here. After watching the dance, I walked past a man who beckoned me over, stopping me in my tracks. I looked back at handsome blonde haired man with blue eyes and black earrings. "Hey, could you get me a bottle of champagne for the table and could you tell Elizabeth that Hiro's looking for her?" "I'm guessing that'd be you?" Hiro slid a card across the table over to me with a grin on his face. "The name's Hiro Shimono. Could I have your name in exchange for mine?" I smirked with a curious look in my eyes and replied, "The name's Maka." "…Maka." Hiro smiled back at me and saw me off.

"Hit me," Soul said, asking for the orders. "A champagne bottle for table 13, a light scotch for table 4, a cosmopolitan for table 8 and a shot of the strongest stuff you got for me," I smiled, leaning over the bar and cocking an eyebrow at him. "Tough night?" he asked furrowing his eyebrows with a grin. "More like too good." Soul furrowed his brow again, looking over at table 13. He looked a bit conflicted, but I didn't comment on it. "Oh, so I see you met Hiro Shimono?" "Yeah, who is he exactly?" Soul sighed and handed me my shot. "He's a Real Estate Agent. Rumor has it that he's looking to take possession of the club." "Seriously? You think he will?" Soul shook his head. "Nah, Liz is too stubborn to give the club up so easily. No amount of money can replace his club for her. Her and Kid built this club from the ground up, it's their greatest accomplishment as a married couple. She wouldn't let something like that slip away from them." "Wait, WHAT?! Kid and Liz are MARRIED?!" I was stunned. Why was everyone in the club hooked up and I didn't even know about it? "You really need to stay on top of things around here, Maka. Oh, and I should tell you in advance. Hiro has a past with Blair. They like to think of it as nothing, but they'd been messing around for quite some time. Just ended recently, so if you're planning on entering that ballpark, you'd better wear a helmet." Maka rolled her eyes and threw back her shot, crinkling her face at the strength of the drink. "Hah, lightweight," he teased. I took the drinks for the different tables and quickly gave them their correct orders before running up to see Liz.

I knocked on Liz's office door and when she told me to enter, I did as she told me to. "What is it, Maka?" "Hiro Shimono is here. He sent me to tell you that he's looking for you." Liz nodded slowly. "Thank you, Maka. While you're here, could I ask you to check on Tsubaki? I was just about to go check on her because I haven't seen her all night and she's supposed to be going on soon, but it seems that I have other things to attend to." I nodded my head without any sign of hesitation. "I'll get right on that for you." I left the office and went straight over to the girls.

"Tsubaki? Are you out here?" I call out for her, to no avail. Kim then points me in the direction of the bathroom and told me that that's where she last saw her. I ran right into the bathroom and heard someone throwing up. _Oh no…_ "Tsubaki? Is that you?" The person who was kneeling on the floor stands up and emerges from the bathroom. "Oh my goodness, Tsubaki. You're not sick are you?" I asked rubbing her back gently. Tsubaki shook her head. "Then… are you-?" I stopped myself not wanting to offend her, but she knew just what I meant and she nodded her head. _Oh my…_

 **A/N: DUN, DUN, DUUUUUUNNNNNNN! LOL, for those who have watched the movie, this should be very familiar to you. If you haven't, then you're in for a big surprise! Wait until Liz finds out about this! ;o No, actually, wait until we see Black*Star's reaction! :O I hate cliffhangers as much as the next person, so I'll be sure to update the story in the morning, but right now, it's late and I feel like an old man x So I'll just leave this here for you all. Please send me reviews and let me know what you think! I'll respond to any questions comments or concerns that you may have, so please harrass me with feedback. As always, I will see ya' soon, so stay beautiful! (: ;D**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Okay, so I know I said I would've posted this early in the morning, so I'm sorry I'm a bit later than I expected. Things are about to get interestingggggg (; TIME FOR A DISCLAIMER NOTICE! I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER, BURLESQUE OR ANY OF THE SONGS CONTAINED WITHIN THIS CHAPTER! Okay, ENJOY! (: ;***

 _CHAPTER FIVE_

 _LIZ'S P.O.V_

"$500,000. That's my final offer to you." Hiro rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger with a victorious grin that only succeeded in pissing me off even more than he already was. I slammed on the table and stood over him, glaring. "I wouldn't sell this place for 500 _million,_ Hiro! Why don't you just do us all a favor and forget about it?" Hiro didn't seem phased at all by my outburst. He even began to chuckle a bit. _This bastard's never giving up! Why can't he just take no for an answer?! I'd never give this place away. NEVER!_

"You know, Liz, ever since I was a child, I've always gotten what I wanted. I just had to. That's the way it was and the way it still is." I turned to Kid for assistance, but he didn't look anymore displeased than I was. Regardless, I still let the man of the house speak. "We already told you that this club is not for sale. Go make yourself useful and go find another sucker because as far as our end goes, that's _our_ final say in the matter." Kid took me by the arm and dragged me off, but before we were out of hearing distance, Hiro called after us. "Like I said, I always get what I want. The offer is still open, Liz!" I scoffed at the sound of his voice, etching out my name with his vile tongue.

Kid and I entered our office and sat down, washed out of any energy and power from our conversation with Hiro. _He's persistent, that much can be said at the least._ We very rarely stay silent like this when we're together, but I guess we both just had some thinking to do.

Before too soon after our break from Mr. Shimono, Maka comes barging in, panting with a concerned look on her face as she huffed. I almost felt the urge to yell at her for coming in without permission, but telling from the look on her face, now was not the time for scolding. "What's wrong, Maka? You look troubled." Kid and I sat back up in our seats, waiting for her to regain her composure. "It's Tsubaki… I can't really explain it, it's something you have to see for yourself." We all looked at each other for a minute before following Maka, who led us to a green-faced Tsubaki slumping over in her chair and gasping for breath.

"Tsubaki?! Are you alright? You look sick." I rushed over to her side and kneeled down next to her chair to look at her face. Hearing my cries, my twin sister, Patty came rushing over to our sides as well. "What's wrong sis?" I didn't have to answer Patty for her to finally piece together what was wrong. "Oh, man, Tsubaki. You're not looking so good." All the girls began to gather around when Tsubaki motioned everyone to come closer. "Everyone… I'm pregnant. Two weeks to be exact." Almost all the girls around us cheered with glee and congratulated Tsubaki. I would've cheered as well if it hadn't been such terrible timing. Tsubaki has been a close friend of mine ever since high school, so I truly had been happy for her. If Hiro hadn't been hunting for my club, then maybe I wouldn't be so uptight right now.

I arose from my place next to Tsubaki and stood straight, causing her to look up at me from the other girls. "I'm very happy for you, Tsubaki. We will be there every step of the way with you, but as your friend, I care for your health, so we're going to put you on maternity leave until you're ready to start working again, okay? Don't you worry about a thing. We'll take care of everything here." Kid nodded at Tsubaki, agreeing with me. Tsubaki looked back up at me. "I'm sorry, Liz, I know it's not the best time to be worrying about something like this. Are you sure it's not gonna cause any trouble?" I shook my head. "Don't say that. We'll be just fine. You just worry on keeping my godson/goddaughter happy, got it?" We smiled at each other and nodded.

I turned to the other girls and told them to get back to work, then I turned to my husband. "Honey, looks like we'll be holding the auditions sooner than expected. I'll take care of the preparations if you give me all the candidates' contact info." "I'll get on that, Liz, don't worry about the auditions. You just worry about helping me with the sewing for the "I am a Good Girl" number, the gluing of the cop hats and refilling the confetti gun cannon for the "Tough Lover" number." I chuckled and nodded, getting all the outfits he mentioned from the clothing rack in the far corner in the room.

"Liz?" A familiar voice softly spoke my name from behind me and when I turned around, Maka was standing there looking up, confused. "What is it, Maka? Kid's handling the auditions, so if that's what you want to talk about, he's your guy." "Well, actually I was just going to ask about the vocals." That caught my attention, so I turned away from the clothes and looked at her, wondering what she was getting at. "What about them?" "I just noticed that none of the girls here except for you sing any of their numbers. I just thought that wouldn't it be nice to hear some of the girls sing every once in a while?" She had the right idea in mind, but for a club like this, that's just not how things run. That's not what brings the customers in. "Honey, listen. This is a burlesque club. People come in to watch the dancers dance while they lip synch to the great singers." "Yes, but I just thought-." I covered her mouth with both my hands, wishing for no more to be said. I was too exhausted to explain the ways of this club to a newcomer, so I shooed her away. "And you have a great mind, Maka, but I'm really not in the mood to talk about something like this right now, okay? Why don't you go back downstairs and give Soul a hand? I'm sure he'll be needing some of your help tonight." Maka took the hint and nodded her head, turning on her heels and walking back down to the bar.

I heaved a huge sigh and took the costumes down off the clothing rack. "That girl…" _Another persistent one…_

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

Later that night after work, I had gone back home like I always did after a long day of work, but this time was different. I ran right to my hotel room and unlocked the door, expecting to find the room untouched and clean. I was looking forward to hopping onto the bed and climbing in to go straight to sleep, but I guess luck just wasn't on my side that day. When I opened my door, the room was pitch black, but when I turned on the lights, I deeply regretted it, after seeing every single valuable in that room trashed. The bed sheets were torn and ripped, my memento of my mother and father was torn in half, the mirror had been smashed to pieces and in black marker, someone wrote 'You should've never stole from me' on the broken mirror. In that instant, I knew exactly who had done this to me. **_Sam._**

Remembering I had some money stashed in the bathroom's medicine cabinet, I rushed right for it, but as expected, I found nothing at all in the cabinet. Not even a speck of dust was left behind. All the strength I had completely left my body and I collapsed to the floor on my knees, muffling my cries of anguish with a shivering hand. My tears blurred my vision, threatening to make their way down my face, but this was no time to start crying.

I opened my pocketbook and rummaged through my bag for my cellphone. _Maybe someone can help me… I can't ask Tsubaki for help. She's been through enough trouble for one day. I don't have Liz's number. She probably wouldn't have helped me anyway. It's not like she knows me… That only leaves Soul. He should've left work by now, so maybe I should try giving him a call._

Making up my mind, I phoned Soul, waiting patiently after each ring. After about three rings, "Hello?" Soul answered, but his voice only brought my tears back. My voice quivered, despite my efforts to calm down. "S-Soul… I, umm… Ugh! I'm sorry, I shouldn't be troubling you…" "What? Is something wrong? What's going on?" I couldn't bring myself to ask him for help. This was something I had to handle on my own… "I'm sorry, Soul…" I hung up, trying to figure out just what the hell I was going to do to fix this.

I rolled up my sleeves and began fixing the bed. That was the least I could do. The covers and the blankets were sprawled out all over the door handles and hanging partly out of the window. I assumed that they climbed in through the window. It would've been easy too since my room was on the first floor. I tucked in the covers and sniffled away my tears. _There's no use crying over spilled milk. It's not like I don't have a job and it's not like this room is totally beyond saving._

I faintly heard someone running down the hall. As they got closer, the footsteps became louder until they were right in front of my door, banging with heavy hands. "W-Who is it?" I called out almost frightened that Sam had come back to finish the job. "It's Soul. Open up, Maka!" I was beyond relieved when I heard Soul's voice instead of Sam's raspy, hard voice. I inched over to the door and carefully opened it, making sure that he wouldn't see the mess inside.

"H-Hi there, S-Soul." Soul was panting quite a bit, obviously from running all around the hallway. "Maka, what the hell is going on here? You call me, crying your eyes out and then hang up without so much as an explanation!" He didn't really yell at me. He just seemed really concerned and I could even see a hint of fright in his eyes. _Soul came all this way for me?_ "That's what you came for?" I asked timidly. "Of course! You just took 10 years off of my life span, making me worry like that!" "I'm sorry… I guess since you came all the way here, it's only fair to let you know." I opened the door all the way and walked further into the room.

Soul's eyes went saucer-eyed as he look at the trashed hotel room. I closed the door behind him so no one else would see what had happened here. "Maka, you got robbed?" Soul looked at the mirror and furrowed his brow in anger. Right at that moment, Soul snatched up my arm and made me look at him. "You're coming with me. You were gonna ask for a place to crash, right? Then let's go. Get your bag."

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

 _What the hell, man…_ I was a little glad that I was the one that she came to for help. If it had been anyone else, they probably would've freaked out, but I'm too cool for that. Of course I'd help her.

Like I told her to, Maka grabbed a duffel bag and stuffed some of her valuables and clothes in as quickly as she could. She didn't say a single word, she only looked a bit disappointed. It was understandable, I guess. The girl just got ransacked after a long night at work, who wouldn't be? After Maka finished all that, we checked her out of the hotel and she came home with me on my motorcycle. I turned on the radio to calm her down a bit and a Daughtry song came on that seemed to fit her so well.

 _DAUGHTRY – HOME_

 _I'm staring out into the night,_

 _Trying to hide the pain._

 _I'm going to the place where love_

 _And feeling good don't ever cost a thing._

 _And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain._

 _Well I'm going home,_

 _Back to the place where I belong,_

 _And where your love has always been enough for me._

 _I'm not running from._

 _No, I think you got me all wrong._

 _I don't regret this life I chose for me._

 _But these places and these faces are getting old,_

 _So I'm going home._

 _Well I'm going home._

She seemed to be clinging onto me tighter than she did before. All her sadness was flowing into me, the tighter her arms clung. _She must be really scared right now. It'll be fine though, she's with me and I doubt that the robber would strike twice if he's already taken everything. "Don't worry, Maka, you're fine now."_ I softly spoke out to her in my thoughts. Why did I care so much? She's just a coworker, so why is this woman so important to me as to make me rush right after her when she's crying?

 _The miles are getting longer, it seems,_

 _The closer I get to you._

 _I've not always been the best man or friend for you._

 _But your love remains true._

 _And I don't know why._

 _You always seem to give me another try._

 _So I'm going home,_

 _Back to the place where I belong,_

 _And where your love has always been enough for me._

 _I'm not running from._

 _No, I think you got me all wrong._

 _I don't regret this life I chose for me._

 _But these places and these faces are getting old,_

Maka was silent all the way home. Maybe she was thinking about something. Either way, now wasn't the time to talk about it. I remembered that she mentioned picking up everything one day and leaving New York, but I wouldn't have pictured her having any enemies. From what she told me, she wasn't much of a talker back in NYC, so what enemies could she have possible had?

 _Be careful what you wish for,_

 _'Cause you just might get it all._

 _You just might get it all,_

 _And then some you don't want._

 _Be careful what you wish for,_

 _'Cause you just might get it all._

 _You just might get it all, yeah._

 _Oh, well I'm going home,_

 _Back to the place where I belong,_

 _And where your love has always been enough for me._

 _I'm not running from._

 _No, I think you got me all wrong._

 _I don't regret this life I chose for me._

 _But these places and these faces are getting old._

 _I said these places and these faces are getting old,_

 _So I'm going home._

 _I'm going home._

"We're here." I pulled into my driveway and we dismounted the bag. I took her helmet off and I took my own off, not looking away from her face for even a second. I was trying to read her, but she looked emotionless… numb. She watched me put the helmets away and we paused for a minute to look at each other. "…c'mon." I motion her to follow me and she does just that. We walked around the apartment complex and found my apartment, unlocking and entering inside.

Maka went in before me and walked out of the hallway and into the living room that was in front of us right when you walked in. She was checking out the place, seeing the kitchen to the left of the living room, my bedroom right in front of her, a guest bedroom to the left of my bedroom and a bathroom to the right of my bedroom. Small, yet practical. It was definitely better than the shambles she was living in. "Nice place," she mumbled. I locked the door behind me and walked up next to her. "Yeah, it's not much, but we've got an extra bed, food in the fridge, running hot water-." "It's perfect, Soul. I really appreciate your help. But I have one condition." "A condition?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. "I'll only stay until it's light out. I don't want to impose." "Sure."

I nod my head with a smirk and go into the kitchen to mix myself a drink. "Want a drink? I'm not on the clock, so it's free." Maka chuckled for the first time since I've seen her in that hotel and she accepts. I mix up some margaritas and hand a glass to Maka, who complete devours the thing. I could tell she needed a 'pick-me-up', so I didn't think twice about it. "Do you want to talk about it? I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to." Maka shook her head and began. "No, it's fine. Why don't we sit down for this one?" I could tell this would be something pretty big, so I did as she said and we took our seats on the couch.

Maka took a deep breath and began. "You see, after my parents died, I was placed in an orphanage. I was very young when they passed and I had no family to go to. Living in an orphanage isn't exactly luxurious to say the least. There were too many kids to take care of, so me, being one of the older kids, had to get the shorter end of the stick. I needed more money to carry myself, so I applied at the diner when I was 13 years old for volunteer work. Call it an unpaid employment if you want. Sam had taken care of me over at the diner and gave me my first job when I was 16." Looked like this Sam guy had a past with Maka. No wonder he'd be mad about her just getting up and leaving. Maka continued on without a hint of hesitation. "I've worked at that diner for 11 years and have never left, but as I got older, Sam began take advantage of my loyalty to that diner as years past on. He stopped paying me my regular pay and cut off more and more money. Then, before I left, I told him that I'd walk out on him if he didn't pay me what he owed me, but he only told me that anyone could be replaced. So I packed up my things, took the money he owed me from the register, not a penny more or less and headed here to D.C. without any trace or sign."

Even though her decisions back in NYC cost her a place of her own and her money and valuables being trashed, Maka didn't seem the slightest bit regretful. I guess that when push came to shove, I was there for her, so she doesn't really have anything to feel sorry for. She's just lucky that she met a cool guy like me! Sure, any guy would jump at the opportunity of taking little innocent Maka home, but none would be this hospitable, I can tell you that much.

I patted Maka on the knee and stood up from my seat, taking her glass and heading back into the kitchen. She only smirked up at me, without any trace of sadness or hopelessness. This time, it was a bit more cheerful. "Nothing ever gets you down, huh, Maka?" I asked quietly. "What? I didn't hear you, sorry." She cocked an eyebrow at me, but I just shook my head. "Nah, it's nothing." _Nothing at all…_

Later that night, Maka and I were sitting in the living room talking when she spotted my keyboard in the corner of the room. I'm used to playing grand pianos, but one of those would never fit into an apartment as small as this. "You play?" she asked intriguingly. I shrugged my shoulders a bit and closed my eyes, opening them back up to look at her. "Yeah, I guess. I don't play as much as I used to way back when, but I still play here and there." Maka was staring at the keyboard and I could tell that she wanted to hear me play, so I got up and sat in front of the keyboard, beginning my song.

The tired-out woman laid over the couch and listened to the melody as her eyes were getting heavier. "That's really pretty. Who wrote it?" she asked, lulling to sleep. I could tell that she was forcing herself to stay up, so I laughed to myself as she bobbed her head, sleepily. "I did." "Really? It's beautiful. Do you have any more pieces?" "Yeah, but none of them are completed. Anyway, I can tell you're tired over there, sleeping beauty. Get some sleep." No answer. I turned around to face her again, but she's already sound asleep. _Well that was quick…_ I got up from the chair and lifted Maka up, princess-style, carrying her to the king-sized bed in the guestroom. I tucked her into bed and stood there, silently watching her dream peacefully. _She's really cute when she's sleeping. Like a little angel… Wait, what the hell am I thinking?_

I shook my head of any thoughts of Maka and went back to my room, shutting off all the lights in the house. I crashed into my own bed and removed my shirt and pants like I do every night. As I began drifting off into dreamland, my phone vibrated. It was a text from Sarah. Instead of answering her, I shut my phone off and didn't even bother looking at the message. _She can wait…_

 **A/N: How was THAT?! So far, I'm getting all good feedback from you all, so keep up the reviews and let me know what you think. REMEMBER: DO NOT HOLD BACK! I will not forgive you if you do ),: BTW: I think Maka's a tad too innocent. Maybe we should change that (; heheheheheheh I'll see ya' soon so stay beautiful! ;D**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** **YESSSS! CHAPTER 6 IS FINALLY OUUUUTTTTTT! I honestly felt like I would never finish this one, but I'm proud to say that I managed it well. Today's going to be a bit of a short author's note intro. so without further ado, LET'S GET ON WITH THE DISCLAIMERS! I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER, BURLESQUE, NOR DO I OWN ANY OF THE SONGS CONTAINED WITHIN THIS CHAPTER! Okay, enjoy and happy reading! :D**

 _CHAPTER SIX:_

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

I woke up early the next morning to the sound of thunder and lightning. _Looks like today won't be a very pretty day…_ I looked around the room I was resting in, but nothing looked familiar. I realized that I was in the guestroom of Soul's apartment. _That's right… my hotel room was ransacked last night when I came home._ I jolted up out of bed and threw on a fresh pair of underwear and a bra, dressing up in a pair of jeans shorts and an oversized, white button-up shirt, unbuttoned to the second button. I brushed my hair out and decided to make breakfast for Soul as a 'thanks' for letting me spend the night.

I opened my door and poked my head out of the room to see if Soul was already awake. "Hmmm… he must still be asleep." With that, I went into the kitchen and took out some eggs, cheese and bacon out of the fridge and closed it with a soft bang. "Alright, awesome. Now for the pans." I searched through all the cabinets to find the pans and took out two pans. "Perfect." I begin preparing the food to be cooked.

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

The smell of bacon reached from the kitchen and into my room, waking me up in an instant. _Is Maka cooking?_ Whatever was cooking in there smelled great. The aroma rose me out of my bed, but before I went out into the kitchen to see what Maka was cooking, I turned on my phone and it immediately began to ring. It was Sarah, of course. I groaned quietly and answered the phone.

"Hey babe, how's it goin'?" "Don't 'how's it goin'' me! I tried texting you last night and you didn't even answer me!" Sarah sounded pissed. I didn't think she would care that much, but I guess that it's okay for her to ignore my calls and it's a crime when I ignore a text or two. "Sorry, I fell asleep and my phone died." I gave her a bullshit excuse because her accusation was bullshit.

"Whatever, Soul. That's not why I called. I called because the director just told me that they need to postpone the play so that I can learn my new lines and so everyone can stay on top of things, so I'm going to be out here for a little while longer." My blood was boiling, but I couldn't blow up on her now. I had company. Now was not the time to argue. "Alright. Do what you gotta do. I got to go. Talk to you later, babe. Love you." I hung up before she got a chance to say anything else back. I wasn't in the mood for this crap anymore.

I threw on my jeans from last night and walked out of my bedroom into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. "Coffee?" Maka asked, seeing me coming out of the bedroom. "Black, please." Maka poured me a mug of coffee and handed it to me with a bowl of sugar to put in as much as I pleased. One was enough for me, though. This morning has already gotten off to a rough start.

"I made you some breakfast, I hope you didn't mind me using the kitchen." "It's no problem at all, but what's the occasion?" Maka laid out a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich out in front of me and placed a plateful of bacon in the middle for extras. Normally, I didn't eat breakfast like this too often. Usually, I grab something simple and head out the door. Maka shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, I guess I just wanted to say thank you for taking me in last night. However, my condition still stands. I'll be out of your hair soon enough." Maka sat down in front of me and ate a small sandwich of her own. "You don't have to leave so soon, you know. You can stay longer if you want." Maka shook her head, swallowing a mouthful of her breakfast sandwich. "I can't ask you to do that." "Then don't. I'm offering." Maka stayed silent as we both ate our breakfast.

She was a pretty good cook. The egg sandwich wasn't too cheesy or salty, the bacon wasn't too overdone, so it still had a chewy, yet juicy taste. I should've expected this, though since she was an orphan. She must've had to do everything on her own. She's a lot stronger than I originally gave her credit for.

I noticed Maka looking at a picture of Sarah and I on our first date, picture- framed up on the wall next to the table. "She's pretty. Is that your sister?" she asked. I scratched the back of my head, nervously. I didn't know whether or not to lie to her and go along with what she said or to tell her the truth. I figured that if we're going to be living under the same roof, there should be no secrets between each other. She should know exactly what she's getting herself into. "Actually, that's my fiancé." Maka blushed with her saucer-eyes staring right into mine with disbelief. "Fiancé? Where is she? Is she here?" she asked looking back down into my bedroom. I shook my head, feeling a bit sad. "She's an actress performing in New York City right now. She got the starring role for the play she's doing right now out there, so she's been gone for about a month and a half now."

Maka rose from her seat and composed herself even though she clearly felt flustered over anything. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't intrude. I'll go get my things and be out of your hair." "Maka, you don't have to leave, she's not going to be here for another month." Maka shook her head as she scurried back into the guestroom to get her duffel bag. "No, I shouldn't be in someone else's home without them knowing. I'm just gonna check into another hotel, alright. I'll be fine." I heave a sigh and shake my head, following her into the guestroom as she hurriedly tried to find all her stuff and put it in her bag. "Makaaaa…" I whined trying to get her calm down. "Sorry, I'll be going now! See you at work." Maka quickly exits, walking right into the pouring rain. I walked right after her and watched as she waited out in the rain for god knows what.

"Maka! What the hell are you doing standing out there like that?" I shouted at her. She seemed to failingly try to cover her body from the rain with her duffel bag. "I'm just gonna catch a cab and go to the nearest hotel. I'll be fine, don't worry about me." "It's pouring out, just come back inside!" Maka rolled her eyes at me and rummaged in her bag for something. "It's just water! I'm not gonna die from water, Soul." Maka pulled a book out of bag to hide her from the rain, I suppose. I, then marched over to her and carried her in my arms, princess-style once again as she kicked and demanded me to put her down. As soon as we got back into my apartment, I put her back down and locked the door.

"Listen, Maka-!" **"MAKA-CHOP!"** Maka shouted as she dropped her heavy book down on my skull, putting a large, painful dent in my skull. "What the hell, Maka! That hurts, you idiot!" I rubbed the dent in my head as it ached. Who knew a girl as tiny as her would have that much strength?! "You're the idiot! Bringing a stranger into your home when you have a fiancé!" "This is my house and you're not a stranger, you're my friend, so I'm gonna be a good friend and lend you a place to stay! If you feel so badly about staying here, then why don't you just help out with the rent for the time you're here?" It was a stretch, but if she could help me out with the rent, then maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea, bringing her in here.

Maka's glare softened into a baffled expression, but then she replaced it with a sinister grin. Maka crossed her arms and began walking in a circle around me. "Ahhh… Now, I see what this is all about. You don't want me to leave because you _need_ me. I see what's going on now." "I won't lie to you, I am in a bit of trouble with the rent money, so you would be doing me a favor, but you need me just as much, seeing as you have nowhere else to go. So what's it gonna be, Ma-ka?" I teased her right back. She wanted to play this game? I could play along just as well. Maka retreated a bit and looked back down. "There's still the issue with your fiancé, though. What'll she think about me staying here?" "Like I said, she's not coming back for another month, so it'll be fine. This isn't for forever, you know. What's the harm?" I explained. That seemed to lighten her spirits back up and her grin came back. She held out her hand to shake mine and said, "Deal." It was settled. Maka would be living at my place with me for the next month.

* * *

 _LIZ'S P.O.V_

Kid and I had called every candidate for the audition in for Sunday morning. "Next!" None of the dancers or performers had what we were looking for, so the auditions became very tiresome. I could barely even bring myself to watch the other performers after a while. "Next!" Every candidate had potential, but not the potential that we were looking for. "Next!" "Kid, I think I've seen enough for one day." Kid looked at me with an understanding stare. "I know it's tiring, Liz, but we have to get these done today. Have you already made up your mind on someone?" I shook my head dejectedly. "Not a single one. None of them even come close to Tsubaki's-."

Right when Kid and I were discussing the end of the auditions, the music begins playing again and we look up to the stage. There was Maka, dancing one of our old numbers that we hadn't used in a few weeks. She moved right with the music as if she had been practicing it all her life. The performance was certainly unexpected, but I didn't dislike it. She shake, shimmied, and rolled her hips at all the right parts. Not one single step was out of place and it was clear that she was having fun with it as well. Kid and I only looked at each other with amazement. We couldn't believe that the woman, who only started working as a waitress at the bar for a week and a half could have practiced a number like this so flawlessly. "She's actually pretty good." "Yeah, I think so too." I watched, pleasantly as Maka finished up her number with a couple of hair flips and a dramatic pose. Everyone in the room applauded Maka for her outstanding performance and we all stood up out of our seats. Maka took a bow with a joyful smile on her face, seeming very pleased with herself.

"You think we should give her the position? She seems to have been working just as hard as she said. It'd be hard for me to turn away," Kid whispered to me. I actually agreed with him though. I'll admit that I certainly had my doubts when she told us that she hadn't had any real experience at any dancing schools or anything related to dance, but she never fails to surprise me. That just means that I have to be even tougher on her though. "I'll give it to her, just this once. She's got to work for it, though. She's good, but she still needs to practice since she has no real experience with dancing. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt just this once, though. Just this once." Kid smiled at our agreement and nodded his head.

We both looked to Maka, who looked a bit nerve-racked. "You've got the position. The next practice will be held here, tomorrow morning at 6am sharp. Don't be late, Maka." Maka grinned from ear to ear and the others in the room clapped for her, especially Tsubaki who sat in the back with the other dancers. "Thank you so much, Liz. I'll do my best!" _Don't let me down, Maka. We don't want any more issues._ Without saying another word to Maka, I walked back upstairs to my office, alongside my husband. _I hope I don't regret putting my trust in this woman._

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

It was surreal. I couldn't believe that I finally got my dream job! I wasn't one to slack off though. I realized that Liz would have her doubts with me since I'm not that well-known and I don't have much experience with professional dancing, but that only made it more fun for me to prove myself.

Tsubaki walked over to me and congratulated me on a job well done after Liz and Kid left for their office. "Thanks, Tsubaki. I'm not as good as you, though. I guess I'll just have to practice until my feet bleed and my hips pop." Tsubaki only giggled looking happier than when she announced her pregnancy to the faculty. "You'll be fine, Maka. Look, how about we exchange numbers and I'll coach you. If you ever need my help or advice, come straight to me, sound good?" Tsubaki offered. My grin widened and I shook my head exaggeratedly. "Sounds great! Thank you, Tsubaki. You're too damn nice to me." After I said that, Blair came up behind Tsubaki, on stage and scoffed. "She's just another kiss-ass. I don't see why, though since you're her replacement." I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. "And with the way you drink and disrespect Liz, they'll hopefully be searching for another replacement," I snorted. Blair drinks around four strong drinks a night without fail. It was a mystery to me how Liz and Kid could put up with her drunk ass for so long. Soon enough, I know she'll be kicked to the curb, just like she deserves.

"Maka! Come here!" I hear someone calling my name and when I turn my head to the source, I see Soul cleaning out some glasses for the night behind the bar. He motions me to meet him over there and so I did. I had a bit of a pep in my step, still in a daze from Liz's approval. I plopped right down in the bar stool, leaning over the bar with my fore arms crossed. "Nice work. So you got the job, huh?" "Hell yeah! I'm still a bit stunned from it myself." Soul laughed and eyed me carefully. "I didn't know you could dance like that, but I guess everyone's got a secret talent." "Oh yeah? Then what's yours?" I teased, cocking an eyebrow at him and leaning in closer. "That's for me to know and for you to find out, Ma-ka." I laughed and retreated from the flirting. This became a natural thing between us. We flirted, goofed, laughed and just enjoyed each other's company. That's just how we were and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

That night was my last night as a waitress and when I woke up tomorrow, I'd finally get to call myself a burlesque dancer. It was still so unbelievable, but I made sure not to get too caught up in it. I still had a lot to prove and I wasn't going to stop here. Not a chance.

 **A/N: AND THERE YOU HAVE IT! Maka's finally rolling with the big dogs now, but don't worry, this isn't even the half of it. We still got a long way to go so keep reading and stay updated! Chapter 7 is going to be a bit shorter than Chapter 6, but if I can get Chapter 7 and 8 out today, then it should be okay. I have school tomorrow even though it's a Jewish holiday ; so unfortunately, I won't be able to upload anything until the late afternoon. I know... it sucks being a high school student sometimes ),: I'll try to crank out a many chapters as I can today for you guys, so stick with meee! I'll see ya' soon so stay beautiful, my friends! (: ;D**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** **Looks like we made it up to Chapter 7 today just like I hoped! Like I said, everything's going to start falling into place as the story carries, so if something doesn't make any sense to you, rest assured that it will at some point! This is the last chapter that I'm posting for today, so enjoy it and I'll update the story after school tomorrow, pinky promise! *links pinky* Without further ado, LET'S GET ON WITH THE DISCLAIMERS! I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER, BURLESQUE, NOR DO I OWN ANY OF THE SONGS CONTAINED WITHIN THIS CHAPTER! Enjoy, my friends! (: ;***

 _CHAPTER SEVEN_

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

Every morning since I got the dancer position approved from both Kid and Liz, I have showed up on time for practice and put my all into my rehearsals. Tsubaki and I had exchanged numbers, so every so often we would check up on each other and she would give me tips to use when performing. I'd like to think that I've been getting better at keeping up with the other girls, but maybe that'd be too conceited of me. I _am_ the new girl after all.

Almost every night, I would practice the unfamiliar steps of my numbers in my room and sometimes I would stay up so late trying to memorize the steps that Soul would have to come in and check on me to see if I'm already asleep or not. I believe it was just the common courtesy of a friend and without him coming to check on me, hell, I probably wouldn't have gotten any sleep at all.

I went up on stage a few times since I've been hired. It's only been about a week and a half that I've been dancing at the burlesque club, but they were quick to fit me right into the crew as soon as I got the job, not that I minded it. Every performance, Soul was sure to be watching for moral support. I felt a little bit more at ease with him there in the audience. It took me a while to get used to practically showing off my body in front of complete strangers and I had to step out of my comfort zone a bit, but I wasn't too self-conscious about it anymore after the first couple of numbers I danced to. Having Soul in the audience; someone I've actually come to know very well made it less embarrassing to dance up on stage the way I did. It's hard to explain, really… but Soul was like my best friend whom I could do or say anything in front of and not feel the slightest bit embarrassed. I was very comfortable with him around and that was all I needed to make the stage jitters go away.

One night, back at home, I was cooking dinner for Soul and I like I have been every other night while he sat on the couch watching TV. "Anything good on?" I asked as I strained the spaghetti. "Nah, just a bunch of soap operas. So not cool," he answered, about to turn off the TV when something interesting pops up. He suddenly seemed glued to it… I wonder what interested him so much like that.

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

Right when I was about to turn off the television, I flipped to celebrity TV news channel only to find Sarah's face in the corner of the screen. _What the hell is going on here?_ I leaned in forward to hear the TV better without having to turn it up. I didn't want Maka to hear what was going on, or she might've gotten concerned for me if she found out there are rumors going around about my fiancé.

I listened to the group of reporters discussing my wife-to-be and apparently there's a room about a scandal between her and the male lead of the play she's in. The reporters went back and forth asking if they thought it could actually be true and one reporter brought up a point that the play they're acting out is a romantic drama, so of course they'd be in close contact. That doesn't mean that it's impossible, though, and he was definitely right about that. I felt a tinge of outrage for a split second, but then Maka came in with the food and seeing her there made the anger go away like a lost memory.

I hurriedly turned off the TV and sat down at the table with her. "I made spaghetti and meatballs and I put some garlic bread in the oven if you want some." Maka smiled and I thanked her for the food before I began digging in. She put a small portion of food on her plate to start off with like always and took small bites of her food, making me raise a brow. "You know, you can eat like you normally would when you're around me, Maka. You don't have to act so polite every time you do something." Maka looked up at me with a noodle sticking out of her lips, furrowing her brows and swallowing her food. "But I am eating how I normally do. I guess it's just a habit of mine." "You eat small and slow all the time? What about when you're really hungry?" Maka laughed and patted her mouth with a napkin. "If I'm hungry, I'm already eating. Besides, you tend to get full quicker if you eat small and slow, so what's the point in gorging down your food? I can see how you would need a whole cow, horse and pig to fill you up. They sure don't call you 'Soul Eater' Evans for nothing."

I almost choked on my food at the sound of her using my nickname. I drank some water before I asked, "Where'd you hear that name from?" Of course, her answer was totally expected since only a select few really used that name, however, one used it more frequently than the others. "Black*Star, duh. Although, Tsubaki's mentioned it before to me as well." "Oh, so I see you two have been talking about me, eh?" I teased as always leaning over the table a bit more. Maka rolled her eyes and continued to eat silently. I chuckled and followed her actions as well.

After dinner, we laid sprawled out on the floor in a dark living room, lit by only the moonlight. I stared up at the ceiling in silence as she watched the twinkling stars shining through the window. We were both silent except for the occasional deep breaths we took to calm our bodies. Maka was the first one to break the silence. "Soul?" "Hmm?" "Don't believe it." I sat up and looked at her and she did the same. "What're you talking about?" "Don't believe what those reporters said about Sarah." I was appalled. I hadn't even known that she heard the TV earlier then. She didn't wait for a response, she only continued explaining her reasoning for saying so. "Reporters lie to get views sometimes. They'll take whatever they see the wrong way and exaggerate the truth, only to cause more drama and give them a scoop. So don't worry about what those reporters said on TV. I'm sure Sarah's just doing her job out there. You shouldn't have to worry about her faithfulness." I only stared into her emerald orbs, speechlessly. Maka gave me a comforting smile and didn't budge until I gave her a smile back.

She got up from the floor next to me and stretched, tiredly. "Well, that's all the energy I can use up for one day. Goodnight, Soul," she yawned walking back to her room before I could say anything back… but I said it anyway. "…goodnight." That night, she amazed me. I didn't even have to say what I was feeling or thinking for her to sense it right off the bat. It's true that I had been a bit worried. How could I bare to sit here, completely faithful to a woman who isn't even in the same state as I am while she's off, running around with another man? I've been trying so hard not to give up on Sarah while she's gone, so how could I even stand to think that she may not even be trying to hold us together as much as I am? It's just not fair. Why do I have to be the only one suffering right now? Sooner or later, this relationship is going to take a turn whether it's for better or for worse. Who knows? All I know is that I've just about had enough with this bullshit.

* * *

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

The night after Soul and I laid on the living room floor, talking, I arrived at the burlesque club with Soul on his motorcycle and went straight upstairs to prepare for my first number of the night. "Good luck, today." We always wished each other luck before work. It just started to become a natural thing I suppose. "Good luck to you too! I'm off." I bee lined straight for the dressing room upstairs, when I seemed to have walked in on an argument between Liz and Blair.

Liz pointed to me as quickly as she saw me. "Maka, you know the "Tough Lover" number, correct?" "Yeah, I've practiced it, why do you ask?" I looked over at Blair after sensing her snarl in my direction. She looked drunk out of her mind, like always. "I'm gonna need you to fill in for Blair's drunk ass while she goes home. You'll be okay with that, right?" "Well I mean, I don't want to step on anyone's toes-." "Then don't," Blair said, stepping up to me to intimidate me. Liz pulled her arm back, almost making her stumble and she shouted at us. "Listen, Maka's going on stage and you're taking the next cab home. Goodbye. Grab your stuff and just go home and rest." Liz handed me the costume for the next number, which was a sexy cop lingerie, black and blue in color and tight to the skin with long leather gloves.

I changed into my costume and took my place on stage on the far left of the stage with Patty and Kim. Patty began lip synching and dancing to the song when a red spotlight hit her and blue spotlights shone on Kim and I.

 _ETTA JAMES – TOUGH LOVER_

 _Well I've got a lover that moves me so_

 _He show an old kind of rock n' roll_

Kim's spotlight turned red as she took over and started to lip synch and Patty's spotlight turned blue in exchange. Kim began swaying her hips and clapping her hands to the beat of the song.

 _'Cause he's a tough lover (yeah, yeah)_

 _He's a tough lover (woo)_

 _Tough Lover (yeah, yeah)_

 _Tough Lover (hum, hum)_

Next, my spotlight turns red, exchanging Kim's red spotlight for a blue one, cuing my turn to lip synch my part of the song… but next thing we know…

 _When he kisses me_

 _I get a thrill_

 _But when he does that-_

Right through the middle of my part, the music and the vocals completely shut off, leaving Kim, Patty and I wondering what the hell just happened. I glanced up to see where the sound controls were upstairs, but the person working the sound controls was not the person that _should've_ been taking care of them. When I look up to see the person's face, there's a purple haired bimbo swinging a cord around in her hand with her other hand placed on her hip.

The girls and I looked back at each other wondering what we should do, but Liz and Kid only pulled the curtain on the performance. The red velvet curtain began to slow drop down and I began to panic. _The show must go on… I can't let it end like this._ So I began to do the one thing I had never even thought of doing in public and I let go of my anxiety. I took a deep breath, and began to sing in place of the vocals.

 _CHRISTINA AGUILERA – TOUGH LOVER_

 _Ooh, oh yeah yeah_

 _Oooh yeah yeah_

 _I need a tough lover, yeah yeah yeah_

 _I need a, a tough lover, woo_

The band eventually started to join in, seeing what my plan was to start doing. I stepped up closer to the front of the stage and began to roll my hips with each step closer.

 _When he kisses me, I get that thrill_

 _When he does that wiggle I won't keep still_

 _I wanna a tough lover (yeah, yeah)_

 _A tough lover (woo)_

 _I need a tough lover (yeah, yeah)_

 _Tough lover (hum, hum)_

Kim and Patty began singing back up as they danced next to me with gigantic smiles on their faces, encouraging me to keep singing. I guess they thought I was doing a pretty good job of improvising, so I let go and let my voice carry away with the music. The crowd began to cheer as the music began to liven up.

 _The seven sisters got nothing on him_

 _I'm talking about a lover who's fast as the wind_

 _Everyone will talk about how he got me fixed_

 _It ain't voodoo, it's just that twist_

 _He will be the greatest lover that ever come to pass_

 _Don Juan ain't got the half the chance_

 _He's a tough lover (yeah, yeah)_

 _A tough lover (woo)_

 _He's a tough lover (yeah, yeah)_

 _A tough lover (oh oh)_

 _Hey, hey, heyah_

 _He'll make me laugh, he'll make me cry_

 _He'll be so tough he'll make Venus come alive_

 _He'll do anything that he wants to do_

 _Step on Jesse James's blue suede shoes, yeah_

 _A tough lover (yeah, yeah)_

 _A tough lover (woo)_

 _A tough lover (yeah, yeah)_

 _A tough lover (hey yeah, yeah yeah)_

 _A tough lover (yeah, yeah)_

 _A tough lover (yeah, yeah)_

 _A tough lover (oh oh)_

The song came to an end and we all decided to strike our own poses to finish off the song. The crowd gave a standing ovation and I couldn't help but laugh and cry at the realization of what I just did. I was so utterly terrified, but whatever I did just saved our asses. I scurried off of the stage and ran into a group of dancers, giving me the biggest hugs I've ever received. The girls kept asking me questions about where I learned to sing that way and I told them that I didn't really know I could do it either. I just let go off everything and let my voice do the rest.

Liz ran up to me with Kid and they gave me the biggest smiles I've ever seen. I've never seen them so proud before and it almost brought me to tears out of fear, surprise and pride. "You never told me that you could sing like that!" Liz beamed and Kid nodded his head. "I'm sorry, I know that you told me that the customers don't come to hear us sing, but when the music stopped, I panicked and-." Liz cupped my cheeks and giggled. "It's fine, dear." She let go of me and gathered everyone's attention. "The band knows all the songs, correct?" she asked the bandmates. They all nodded as quickly as she asked. "Great, then tomorrow, all of us are to show up here to rehearse like usual, of course, Maka will be singing tomorrow night and we'll have Maka practice with the band so we can start coming up with a whole new plan for the show. This can be the start of something big, ladies, so I want you all on you're A-game. Am I clear?" The girls cheered and Liz patted me on the shoulder. Kid smiled down at me and ruffled my hair. "You were great out there today. We both believe in you, so don't let us down, okay?" "Alright, thank you Kid. You and Liz." "You have nothing to thank me for. I was the one who wanted to pull the curtain. It was Liz who stopped us from closing the curtains. You have real talent so put it to good use, ya' hear?" he said leaving me with a smile and a small wave.

Liz was definitely right… This was going to be the start of something bigger than I ever would have imagined… I blushed and wiped my tears as I made my way back to the bar like I did after every performance. I was so embarrassed to face Soul after the big reveal. I wonder how he's going to react. Everyone seemed to be acting pretty wild after hearing me sing. Hell, I'm doing mental back flips right now myself...

 **A/N:** **What a surprise, eh? Who knew Maka had it in her? And what about that rumor about Sarah and the male lead actor in her play?! ;o Do you think it's true? I don't knooooow! Looks like we'll just have to find out in the later chapters. Don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you think. DO NOT HOLD BACK! I will not forgive you ; Alright, off to bed for Laurnea! I'll see ya' soon! Stay beautiful, my friends! ;D**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** **Here we are, Chapter Eight of Soul x Maka: Burlesque! I have to apologize to everyone for taking a while on one chapter. Things have been proven to get a bit complicated with the story development since things are starting to get a bit more into detail. So much to write in such little time! This is going to be a short intro today, so without further ado, LET'S GET ON WITH THE DISCLAIMERS! I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER, BURLESQUE OR ANY OF THE SONGS CONTAINED WITHIN THIS CHAPTER! Thank you all for the feedback! I'll be sure to pay attention to your advice to improve my writing skills, so I appreciate everything that you guys have been doing for me! Now, please enjoy Chapter Eight of Soul x Maka: Burlesque! (:**

 _CHAPTER EIGHT:_

 _LIZ'S P.O.V_

Back at the office after Maka's big debut, Kid and I were sitting next to each other on top of the desk, discussing the new show preparations. I almost didn't want to leave work that night, feeling too excited and obligated to get everything sorted out within the night.

Kid grew silent as he concentrated on the bank notice on my desk that we received two days prior to that night. I'd been bashing my head against every wall trying to figure out a way around the two mortgages that needed to be paid by the end of the month… otherwise… we could all kiss this club goodbye. I knew that was my reasoning for being so overjoyed when Maka broke my rules. Normally, I would've slapped her on the hand and called it a day, but this time was different. She actually had a voice and I had every intention in putting it to good use. It was all I had to ride on for the moment and it was the only chance I had. Though it was slim, I had to grasp it and take my chances. Both Kid and I were skeptical about how well my plan would actually work in the long-run, but what else could we have done?

"I see what you're saying, Liz. Listen, you're the boss, so if you think this could work, then by all means, go for it. I say that from here on out, let Maka and the band practice and go over the music and lyrics, early tomorrow morning. Later, she can go over the dance routines along with the other girls. Have Maka come in an hour earlier to start going over the music. We don't want to wear the girl out, but she's got to work harder than the other girls if she's gonna be the star of the show." I thought about what Kid said and wrote down the new schedule in my schedule book. He was right. If Maka wanted this as bad as she said she did, then she should have no problem meeting our expectations.

"Alright, I've got it down. Let the band know that they'll be coming in at 5am tomorrow morning to work with our new star. In the meantime, I'll organize the numbers I want Maka to take over." Kid nodded and headed out, but not before pecking me on the forehead and taking hold of my hand. "Things are looking up. Don't worry, this place is ours and ours alone. Nobody's takin' it from us anytime soon, you hear me? So quit looking so hopeless. It doesn't suit you." I smirked up at him and gave him a small kiss. I nodded and he departed with that. _Hah, three years of marriage and he's still treating me like he had when we first started dating._ I laughed to myself and continued going over the arrangements on my own.

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

Not long after the show ended, a certain green eyed blonde headed right on down to the bar like she always did, grinning with triumph. I'll admit, I was greatly impressed. Who'da thought little, innocent Maka had such a set of vocal cords on her? I certainly didn't expect it and by the look on her face from when she took her bow on stage, she hadn't expected it neither. _She really outdid herself on this one_ I thought to myself as she came into view.

"Hey, Soul! Did you see that?!" she asked wildly, trying to catch her breath. "How couldn't I? How the hell did you pull something like that off? You were amazing up there." Maka's cheeks tinted a nice peachy color that even I was able to notice under all her makeup. "Thank you. I had no idea I could do it either. It just came to me in the heat of the moment, I guess." A part of me didn't believe her, she could've just been acting modest after all the praise she's been getting. She was a natural up there, like singing in front of hundreds a people was an idle activity she did on the side. Surely, the boss was pleased with her.

Patty, Kim and Jacqueline followed each other over to where Maka was sitting at the bar and they tapped her. "You really were amazing out there. Have you ever sang in front of a crowd like this before?" Maka shook her head. "Never. I mean, I've always sang by myself when I was at home, but never like that before." That much I could believe. Maka had a habit of humming in the shower every morning. I always found it pretty funny. I didn't think this was how her real voice would sound, though.

"We were all just about to go grab some grub. Wanna join? The more the merrier!" Patty and Jacqueline both nodded as Kim offered. Maka's face brightened up, as if someone just told her that she won the lottery and she gladly accepted. Kim and the ladies grabbed both of Maka's hands and dragged her along with them out the door.

I sighed a bit and shook my head, laughing. _That woman is really something else, huh?_ As I cleaned and restocked the bar for tomorrow, someone slapped my shoulder harder than necessary and gave it a rough shake. "Look at her go. She's pretty amazing, isn't she?" I didn't have to turn around to know that Kid was the source of the mocking voice. "What are you getting at now, Kid?" Kid raised both hands, surrendering. "Nothing at all. I'm just saying. A girl like her doesn't stay on the market for too long… just in case you didn't know." "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm already spoken for?" Kid rolled his eyes at me, like always. "Oh yeah… that girl, hmm… what's her name again… Oh, that's right! 'Not here!'" I turned around to look at him as I polished the glasses. "We talk almost every day!" "Yeah and what is it that you two talk about? Let's see, her… her, and yeah, HER." He's got a point there… Sarah and I are always calling each other, but she never gives me a chance to let her know what's going on in my life. She never even asks. She just goes straight into how wonderful her life is and then makes up some overused excuse to get off the phone with me.

Trying my best to ignore the truth, I shook the thoughts out of my head and furrowed my brow. "Well, she's got more goin' on in her life than I do. There's not much for me to talk about anyway." "Whatever, dude. All I'm trying to say is that you'd better choose wisely. Would you rather be with a self-absorbed actress who's never home, or with a beautiful, smart, hardworking woman with serious talent and doesn't plan on leaving Death City any time soon? You'd better make up your mind before someone snatches her away from you," he warned. I stopped what I was doing and put the glass down, deep in thought. It was a mystery to me why I even had to think about it at all. Sure, Maka was a complete package kind of girl, but I couldn't just betray Sarah… I'll be honest, though, Maka _is_ perfect.

"Oh, hi, Maka! I thought you already went off with the others." I snapped out of it after hearing Maka's name and there she stood, right in front of us. "I did, but I forgot my pocketbook." She reached for her pocketbook on one of the stools and sighed with contempt. "So, what're you boys talking about?" I froze up and felt my cheeks get a bit hotter than usual. I couldn't tell her that we were talking about her! "Oh, we were just talking about you!" _That bastard… Of course he would give us away!_ "Oh? What about?" she asked with a baffled look, puffing out her bottom lip a little bit. _S-so cute…_ I snapped my head to turn away from her as my cheeks grew even hotter by the minute. I could sense Kid's golden orbs staring at me from the corner of his eye and I heard a faint chuckle from him. "Nothing serious, just wondered what you'd look like in the costume I have laid out for you tomorrow night. Soul said he's looking forward to seeing you in the lingerie." I glared back at Kid's lie and there he sat with a sadistically evil smile, easily making Maka believe him. "What-?! Don't start making things-." "Soooul…" Maka growled. Maka grabbed her pocketbook in the place of her heavy encyclopedia and shouted ' **MAKA-CHOP!** ' as she drove the bag right into my skull. _Why meeee?_

* * *

The next morning, I woke up to find nobody home. I searched all the rooms and found nothing but a note on the fridge. _Sorry I couldn't be there when you woke up. Liz and Kid called me in an hour earlier so we could go over the new arrangements for tonight's show. Call me if you need me. –Maka._ I figured Liz would've came up with a new routine for the show, I just didn't think she'd jump right into it so quickly. "Looks like you're already on your way up, angel-face. Enjoy it while it lasts." I walked back into my bedroom in search for my cellphone and I decided that I should try phoning the fiancé since I hadn't called _her_ in a while.

I dialed Sarah's number and waited for her to pick up the phone. "Hello?" she answered, sounding a bit tired. "Hey babe, good morning." "Oh, hey Soul. What's wrong?" she assumed. _Umm… what?_ "Nothing, why do you think something's wrong?" _I can't just call my fiancé every once in a while to say hello?_ "I just thought something might be up, considering that you called me." "No, I just wanted to hear your voice." She's been acting like this for a while now. I didn't know if it was because of the distance or if it was because of another issue, but either way, I wasn't liking it at all. "I'm sorry, babe. I'm just really tired from staying up all night, going over the script." "Oh, alright. So how's it goin'?" "Soul, I can't talk right now. I'll text you later on, okay?" I slapped my forehead with my palm and rubbed my eyes, now feeling extremely irritated. I heaved a sigh to hide my aggravation and avoid another argument. "Yeah, sure. Later." I hung up, not even bothering to say anymore on the subject. _This woman…_

Ever since the scandal rumor leaked out to the public, Sarah had been changing her attitude towards me. Whether her hostility had something to do with the rumor or not was beyond me, but one thing I did know was that if it were true, she's doing a terrible job of hiding it. Every time she called me now, I only found myself wanting to rip every last bit of hair out of my scalp, so I began talking to her as little as possible, without looking like I was avoiding her. _How about I just stop calling? That way, I can hold onto whatever sanity I have left before this woman starts driving me up the freakin' wall._ "What the fuck ever, man. I don't have time for this," I grumbled to myself, stomping out of my room and preparing for the day.

* * *

Moving onto later on that night at the burlesque club, Maka had ended up spending her whole entire day, rehearsing with Liz, the band and the other dancers. I had barely even gotten the chance to see her, let alone speak to her. Before we opened up for the night, Black*Star and I lazed around, catching up at the bar seeing that he had been a bit on the busy side with Tsubaki and the baby. Man, you guys should've seen the look on his face when Tsubaki dropped the baby bomb on 'im. I remember that idiotic grin, plastered on his face, spreading from ear to ear as he spun his girlfriend around in the air. Man, Kid and I sure had some trouble getting him to calm down before he hurt the baby form squeezing Tsubaki so tightly. We practically had to pry his arms off of Tsubaki's midriff and trust me, it was waaay more difficult than it sounds.

"How's your 'godly successor' and your 'goddess' doing these days? I haven't gotten a chance to check on Tsubaki in a while." Black*Star's wild grin returned back to his face, the same way it looked on the day of the big reveal. "Perfect as always. But what did you expect? ONLY THE BEST OF THE BEST IS WORTHY ENOUGH TO BE CALLED MINE!" "Yeeeaaahhh, if I were you, I'd work on my indoor voice. If you're gonna be anywhere near a baby, you need to turn that down a couple notches." Black*Star's overpowered cackle rang out through the empty bar.

Black*Star nudged me roughly with his elbow with a suspicious look in his eye. "So I hear that last night, Maka had a big surprise for everyone. What exactly happened?" he asked. I nodded my head and smiled mischievously at my best bro. "You'll find out later tonight. Record her performance and send it to Tsubaki later on. I'm sure she's not going to want to miss this." Black*Star looked at me even more suspiciously, but refrained from asking anymore questions. He checked the clock and took his position at the podium in the doorway to start welcoming in our customers, bidding me farewell. I also straightened up my shirt and rolled up my sleeves, ready to start putting in some work… Though that had to be the last thing on my mind. _Good luck, Maka. Do your best._

* * *

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

I watched behind the curtains as the customers began to file in. My number was up first, so I had already prepared myself, putting on my white bustier, embellished with shiny diamonds, decorating the breast area and the outlines of the seams and a matching white feathered tutu, soft to the touch, hiding my pink, laced garter belt underneath, holding up my transparent, white stocking, topped off with white, pointed toe stilettos and dangling diamond earrings. I looked at myself in the mirror and fixed my sexy, messy, curled bed-hair, making sure that not one single piece was out of place. Liz had helped me do my makeup for my first number and I had to admit, she did a pretty damn good job of it. My winged-out dramatic eyeliner made my green eyes pop right along with the pink, glittery eyeshadow, pink plumped lipstick and blush she applied. _Absolutely gorgeous._

"You ready to go on?" one of the bandmates asked. I nervously smiled up at them and nodded, exhaling all my stage fright away. Now was not the time to start getting shy. Kid eventually came to get me set up on stage, behind the red velvet curtains. I sat atop the stairs of a dimly lit staircase placed on the stage and waited for my cue to begin the performance.

The whole band gave me a thumbs up and began to play the song as the curtains rose, exposing my laid out body, sprawled out sexily over the highest step to the crowd of customers.

 _CHRISTINA AGUILERA – I AM A GOOD GIRL_

 _Where have you been all my life?_

 _The dress is Chanel_

 _The shoes YSL_

 _The bag is Dior_

 _Agent Provocateur_

 _My address today_

 _LA by the way_

 _Above Sunset Strip_

 _The hills all the way_

 _My rings are by Webster_

 _They makes their heads twirl_

 _They all say "Darling,_

 _What did you do for those pearls?"_

 _What?_

 _I am a Good Girl._

With each clash of the cymbals, I descended one step further down the stairs, each lighting up with a tap of the foot. I didn't expect the audience to get so riled up, but they were cheering much louder than I had ever heard them cheer before. It really boosted my confidence, so I had no problem showing off up on that stage. Each dip and roll of the hip had the men jumping out of their seats, whistling with anticipation.

 _BH I adore_

 _Rode-O l'amore_

 _Breakfast Polo Lounge_

 _Then poolside for sure_

 _The Chateau for cocktails_

 _The Courtyard at nine_

 _Dan Tana's for dinner_

 _The Helen's divine_

 _You know I have found_

 _The word's gone around_

 _They all say my feet never_

 _DO touch the Ground_

 _What?_

 _I am a Good Girl!_

I jumped down off the stage and into the audience, leaping up on the bar top. My backup dancers joined along as we swayed our hips out, catching the attention of everyone in the building. I traveled a dainty hand up my leg to the hem of my feathered skirt, pulling it up even higher, before it was ripped off, exposing my garter belt.

 _I am a Good Girl!_

A group of dancers dressed as bartenders picked me up from the bar top and carried me on their shoulders, back up the staircase on the stage, posing for the last note before all the lights shut off on the stage. A large roar of applause and cat calls echoed out of every corner of the club. I thanked the men after they gently let me back down on my feet and rushed backstage and downstairs to the bar. Today was my first official performance as Burlesque's new main attraction, so I had to celebrate with a drink before I opened my eyes and entered reality once more, figuring this must only be a sweet dream. _Not to mention that I missed Soul this morning since I had to leave for rehearsal earlier than usual… Wait, what?_

I vigorously shook my head clean of anything but my need for an alcoholic beverage. After all, it was well deserved for busting my ass all day long trying to get those steps right. The number was a great success it seems after all was said and done, so I didn't mind pushing myself a little harder than usual today. I didn't bother changing before I went to the bar, so when I walked out into the main area, all eyes were on me. Of course, I didn't pay it any mind. Instead, I bee lined straight for Soul when he came into view and poked up behind him when his back was turned.

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

 _Jeez… This hasn't happened in a while, huh?_ Maka's performance did a number on me; enough to bring back my old habits of nosebleeds that is… After the stage went dark, I noticed a red fluid dripping onto the bar top. "Damnit!" I turned around and grabbed the closest rag, pinching my bloody nose. _Okay, what the hell is going on? I can't even think straight for one minute anymore without that woman crawlin' back, interrupting my train of thought. First, my mind and now my nose? Jesus, what's next, my speech?!_

Then… right then… I'm sure you could guess, what with my bad luck and all that a certain someone was waiting right there, behind me. "Hard at work today, Soul?" a familiar, desirable voice spoke from one of the bar stools. I wiped away the blood, praying that it wouldn't show up when I turned to face her. "Hey Ma-." I swirled back around to look at Ms. Superstar, only to be faced with a pair of boobs, threatening to pop out of the top of Maka's bustier. _Aaaand there goes the nose bleed…_ A fresh, new drop of blood began to trail down my face once again, so I gave up looking at Maka, straight-forward.

"U-umm… 'sup Maka? You look… w-well I-I mean…-."

"Yeah, I know it looks a little weird, you don't have to rub it in!" Maka puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms in a childlike fashion.

I shook my head in disagreement. "That's not it at all! Y-you look beautiful… really, I mean it." I wiped my nose once more and glanced at Maka from the corner of my eye, giving her my best smirk. She didn't say anything back, she only stared into my eyes, probably trying to find any hint of a lie behind them. However, she wasn't going to find that anytime soon. I've always thought Maka was an attractive girl…

To lighten her up a bit more, I made her favorite drink; a strawberry daiquiri with a hint of Bacardi. It was _so_ her to drink something as girly and fruity as a strawberry daiquiri; which was amusing to me considering how UN-feminine the girl can be. I slid the cocktail over to her and she smiled. "Thanks, Soul. You're a true friend," she said with a wink, taking her drink and disappearing in the dispersed crowd.

 _"_ _Friend"… huh._ I've never really heard Maka call me her 'friend' like that before. That's what we were… We were friends… so why did her calling me her 'friend' feel so wrong? Why did it hurt when she said I was her 'friend'? At best, I would've called Maka my best friend, but even that didn't feel good enough. Maka and I are roommates, coworkers, friends… but still, none of those titles felt right. They felt… missing. Like putting together a puzzle with a missing piece. Those titles didn't feel complete.

I opened my thoughts up freely to back to all the times Maka and I spent together. Sure, we didn't get a lot of time to hang out since our schedules were much different, but the times when we _did_ get to hang out were preciously locked away in my memories. All the times she cooked for the two of us, all the times she came running over to the bar first thing after she got off that stage to talk to me, all the 'good luck' she has wished me, all the late night chats about our days… They were all precious to me. _She's_ precious to me. And right then at that very moment as I stood alone at that bar, watching the gorgeous burlesque dancer walk further away, I had finally come to realize… that I, Soul 'Eater' Evans was starting to fall for Maka Albarn.

"Hah, friends? You don't know the half of it, little Maka."

 _LIZ'S P.O.V_

"Forget it, Hiro! I don't care how many times you double your offer, this club is not for sale!" Kid and I were sitting across the table from none other than Hiro Shimono. Hiro didn't seem to care at all about what we had to say, because his relentless attitude continued out from beginning to end. "Think about it, Liz. From what I heard, the bank's got you cornered right now. I'm giving you a once in a lifetime offer, so if I were you, I'd reconsider," Hiro said, smirking impishly and arising from the booth we conversed in. I watched fiercely as Hiro made on his way out of the crowd.

My head shook in disbelief and I heaved a terribly loud sigh. "He's seriously got some nerve. What makes him think that I need _his_ help? I'm perfectly fine, handling this business myself. Besides, with Maka's singing voice and new dance routines, she's sure to reel the customers in. We'll get those mortgages paid off in no time, you just wait and see, Mr. Shimono," I mocked, talking somewhat to myself while Kid let me rant.

My beloved scooted closer to me and rubbed my back in consolation. "Liz, I love this club just as much as you do. We'll keep fighting, understand?" he said. I nodded, quietly. He nodded once and then got up from the booth as well. "Well, if that's all, then let's get back to work. The girls have been yelling my ear off all night about the seaming of their costumes." I laughed and followed him backstage. We weren't giving up this place. There's no way we'd let all the formed relationships in this club go to waste. Not for a while at least. This place was precious to not only us, but the whole entire staff. It's our duty as the club owners to preserve this burlesque club with everything we've got.

Upstairs, backstage, the two of us returned back to the dressing room where each girl was changing during their transitions between numbers as fast as they could. It's usually quite tension free since we all tend to get along pretty well, but when we got back to where all the girls were, all we felt was tension oozing at the seams.

"I really don't see why you all are getting so crazed up over some slutty waitress girl from the slums of New York. It all seem pretty pathetic if you ask me," Blair's pretentious tone carried. I glance towards the direction from which her voice came from, but when I saw what was going on, everyone was silent. Maka stood right behind Blair in her as she sat at the mirror, applying her makeup. Maka slapped her arms down on Blair's shoulders and gave them a small rub. "A 'slutty waitress' on the top of her game is better than a bitter whore who's dragged herself all the way back down to rock bottom. Have a nice night, now," Maka insulted, leaving Blair speechless.

I had to admit it, though… Blair should've seen that one coming. The two girls always fought like cats and dogs, but that's only to be expected from the two ladies in this club that want to be number one. Some healthy competition wouldn't hurt, though, it is a bit of a pain to claw Blair off Maka's ass sometimes. Her drunk ass just can't process what the word 'stop' means. One of these days, those two are going to be the end of me…

 **A/N:** **And there you have it, folks! Finally, Soul recognizes his love for Maka (,: but don't get too comfortable. There's still a lot more to come, so who knows what's in store? Again, I'm really sorry that this chapter took longer than expected. I'll try to be quicker on the next one for you all. WISH ME LUCK! I'll see ya' soon! Stay beautiful, my friends! (: ;***


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** **FINALLY! Chapter 9 is here and ready to be read by all you beautiful and patient gods and goddesses. Let me take this time to really apologize for delaying this chapter for so long. I've had a lot on my plate for a few weeks now, but I've gotten everything settled and under control, so we should start seeing more chapters and the development process should go a bit faster now. I know you've all been dying to find out what happens next, so here you go! DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER, BURLESQUE OR ANY OF THE SONGS CONTAINED IN THIS CHAPTER! Happy reading! (:**

 _CHAPTER NINE:_

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

Every single day, living with Maka had been such a breather from my reality. My reality, being a taken man living all by his lonesome while his supposed 'fiancé' was pretty much living on the other side of the country for who knows how long. At least with Maka, I didn't have to be alone every morning and night. We usually don't see each other in the afternoon since she practices with Liz every day before work, but it was still a hundred times better to know that another soul with breathing within these walls other than myself. Not to mention that it was _Maka_ who had been by my side all this time. Every day she has given me a new reason to love her. The way she cooks for me every day without fail, the way she reads like a nerdy bookworm in her free time, and even the way she sneezes is cute to me. Loving these little things about her tells me for sure that I must be falling for her… and honestly… I didn't mind at all.

I was going out to run a couple of errands, seeing that we were out of milk and out of booze. _I know… weird combination of things to run out on… don't judge us._ When I came back, I expected to come back to an empty house since it had been around noontime when I finished my errands. I dropped my bags in the kitchen and walked into my room, but on the way, I noticed something, or rather _someone_ moving around in Maka's room. To my curiousity, I peeked inside the crack of her door to see what was going on. Thankfully it was Maka, but I doubt she'd be relieved if she had known I was standing there staring at her. Maka was laid out on her stomach on the bed, reading one of her novels that she had wanted to finish for a while now, wearing nothing my her pink, lacey panties and her matching, lacey pushup bra. Her back was turned to me so of course she didn't notice I was there, but that only gave me a better view. Her back was slightly arched and her silky legs were crossed in the air. I admired her body for what seemed like forever. _That body that I get to see every night at the club, that body that everyone wished they could get the chance to touch, that body that I wanted so badly next to mine._ There she was, sitting right in front of me, ready for the taking. If it had been anyone else, they probably would've… but that's not my style. That's not what I'm all about. I only admired her for the simple fact that she was Maka and she was here, right where I wanted her.

She began to shuffle in the bed, looking like she was about to get up, so I scurried into my room, pretending that I had just gotten in. "Soul? Is that you?" she calls. I exit my room, calmly trying to erase my thoughts so I didn't give myself away. I leaned against my doorway, looking over to see where she had went. "Yeah. Just got in from the store. What're you doing here at this time? No rehearsal today?" I asked, raising my voice a bit so she could hear me from inside her room. She opened her door, now fully clothed in a pair of pink shorts and a light gray sweater. I felt a little disappointed, but it was to be expected that she walked around a man's house fully clothed. Especially when that man is already betrothed.

"Nope. Liz told me to take the day off and come in for the night. Said I was working too hard and that tonight's just going to be a review so I didn't have to show up if I didn't want to." That makes more sense. Liz wouldn't want to break her new toy. "Oh, alright. So what's up?" I asked. She shook her head, her bangs swaying along with her long hair. "Nothing, I was just reading, but I'm glad you're here. I want a man's opinion, alright? Come in." She beckoned me into her room and I followed, baffled. She sat me on the bed and dug into her closet, pulling out two dresses. "Okay, I bought these two dresses the other day, but they were pretty pricey, so I want to return one. Which one looks better? The red one or the midnight blue one?" I looked both of them over for a minute. The red dress was shorter than the blue one and it looked tighter on the body as well. It had a sweetheart neckline that had a slit stretching down a bit low in the middle of the chest area. It was pretty goddamn sexy if you ask me, but when I looked at the purple dress, I saw where her dilemma laid. The purple dress was also strapless, but it had a very low-cut back and a long slit on the leg that almost went up to the right hip. It was sexy, but it had a bit of innocence to it seeing how long the dress was.

"That's hard to decide. Try them both on and maybe I'll be able to tell," I instructed. She nodded and pushed me out the room to change. I sighed, defeated and fell onto the couch, waiting for her to finish changing. Soon after, she called out to me and told me to come back in the room, so I did. I opened the door and saw her strutting her eye-catching purple dress. She blushed under my concentrated stare, but that didn't stop me from looking. Actually, I found that dress to look even better on her than it did in her hand. _This might be a little bit harder than I thought…_ I continued to stare at her like that for a while before she pushed me out, forcefully with a flustered look on her face. "I have to change again! Go wait for me out there!" she screamed from behind the closed door. Instead of going back to my seat on the couch, I just waited for her from where I was, at her door. She emerged from the room again, pulling me in quickly. "How's this one?" she asked, looking to the side. Now, she had on the sexy, red dress. I had to be careful not to drool, looking at this one, because she looked even sexier than she had in the purple dress. The slit in the middle of her chest was exposed, showing off her perfect-sized boobs and the bottom of the dress came up right at the middle of her thigh, showing off her petite, porcelain legs that looked pretty inviting to me. I shook my head vigourously at my tainted thoughts of just throwing her down on the bed and kissing all of her exposed skin when I realized… _She's really going to let other men see her looking like this?_ I began to pout at the thought of other guy coming up to her at the club. "I like the purple one better. You should return this one and keep the purple dress," I said, now looking away and pouting, much like a child.

Maka giggled now and nodded her head with a smile. As I looked away from her, I noticed a torn photo on her dresser and picked it up. I analyzed it for a moment, seeing a picture of a little girl who resembled Maka in every way, holding the hands of two young-looking adults. They had to be in their late teens by the look of it. "Is this you?" I asked, hesitantly. I didn't want to touch any nerves, mostly because I knew that if there was one thing that Maka barely brought up her parents. Not since that day in the park when she told me she was put in an orphanage.

Maka looked surprisingly calm as she nodded her head. She was gazing at the photo with a memorable smile on her face. _How could she be so calm when talking about her family?_ She gently took the picture into her dainty hands and looked at it closely, sitting on the bed. I sat next to her, carefully, looking on with her and waiting patiently for her explanation.

"This picture was taken on my 7th birthday. A few months later, Mama and Papa got into a car accident and I lost them both." She didn't explain any further than that. I assumed it was because I had already known the rest. Soon after her parents died, Maka was sent to an orphanage and then she got a job at Sam's as an unpaid employee until she was 16. She went to a small college on a scholarship and continued working at Sam's until she was finally able to come here. From there, all the rest goes down in history.

The only thing I could do was stare down at the picture. Of all this time that I've known Maka, she's never showed me this picture. Did she even really intend to? I don't know… All I know is that I felt like I was intruding. Even so, I felt a certain obligation to console her. "You must really miss them," I said. I felt stupid after I said that. Like, duh, of course she does. Why do I need to state the obvious? _Stupid._ She didn't judge me for it though. "I do. There's so much I want to tell them about. New and exciting things have been happening to me every day lately and I wish I could tell them every little thing that's happened to me," she admitted. I smirked at her positivity. _She's a lot more tolerant than I thought._ "Has anything happened today?" I asked. She shook her head and turned her head to look into my eyes. She has never had a problem with it. Not like some people are when they first meet me. That was just another thing to add onto the list of things I love about her. "Nothing, yet. I'm sure something will though," she murmured. I caught myself staring down at her lips. They looked so smooth and plump and I found myself battling with myself to fight the urge to steal a kiss. I began to move extremely slow, almost meeting my lips with hers.

As if on cue, there was a loud bang on the door, clearly blocking Black*Star's way in. "SOUL, OPEN THIS DOOR! YOUR GOD COMMANDS YOU! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Black*Star's faint cackle echoed from behind the door. Maka and I both laugh, nervously, seeing the predicament we were about to get ourselves into. "You should probably get that before he breaks down the door… again. I would get it, but I have to change," she said, arising from the bed, along with me. "Yeah. I'll go do that," I stated, quickly walking out of the room and to the front door. _I almost kissed her… Thank god for Black*Star. Even if I love Maka, I'm still engaged. I have to at least break things off with Sarah if I'm going to go ahead and do things like this. I'm not a cheater. Cheaters are uncool and I'm not uncool._

I took a deep breath to prepare myself for the headache I was about to receive after Black*Star's entrance. "Okay…" I opened the door and **_BOOM!_** Black*Star crashed the door open into the wall, leaving a hole for me to patch up… again. " **HAHAHAHAHAHA! I CAME TO GREET MY-!** " His sentence was cut short, from a book crashing into his noggin. **"MAKA-CHOP!"** a shout came from beside me. I looked down at Maka who had a bored expression on her face as if her Maka-chops to Black*Star's head was the norm for her… which it kind of was. She had to get him to shut up one way or another. "Come on, Black*Star. I would've thought you'd get over this whole yelling thing when Tsubaki became pregnant," she scolded quietly. I noticed she had changed back into her sweater and shorts. _That was fast…_

"Actually, Maka, he's gotten a lot better around me and the baby," a small voice corrected from behind Black*Star's falling body. Black*Star finally fell on his face after wobbling around a bit and there, Tsubaki stood timidly. Maka's face lit up as if she was a toddler who was just told that she would be taken to Disneyworld. "TSU!" Maka exclaimed, throwing her arms around Tsubaki. "It's been a while, huh, Maka?" Tsubaki laughed. We welcome them both in, having to drag Black*Star's limp body and throw him over onto the couch.

"So what brings you two here? Everything going okay?" I asked. Tsubaki nodded, looking lovingly at her baby's father. "Yes, everything has been wonderful. He's so good with me and the baby. He's always taking me to my doctor's appointments, helping me around the house, going to work extra hours so we all can live comfortably," Tsubaki said, smoothing out her dress as she sat down on the couch. Honestly, I was surprised that this conceited brat of a best friend was even taking his new responsibility as a father seriously. He's a bit of a goof, so it's kind of humoring to hear about his duties around the girlfriend and his unborn child.

Maka listened quietly, sitting next to her new close friend, taking both of her hands in her own. She must've been pretty damn excited to see Tsubaki since she hadn't seen her in quite a while. Maka's been really busy with her rehearsals and all, so she hasn't really had time for herself, but she doesn't fail to make her own time and spend it wisely, so I hear them talking over the phone every once in a while. From what I can hear from outside her door, Tsubaki and Maka had gotten pretty close. She could easily call Tsubaki her best friend or confidant.

"Black*Star showed me a video of one of your numbers, Maka. You were absolutely terrific! You told me you had talent, but I didn't know you had talent like _that!_ I'm so proud of you!" she praised. Maka chortled at the praise, obviously not knowing how to take it.

"Well, I wouldn't want to brag. Besides, I've still got a lot to learn," Maka said. Tsubaki only shook her head at Maka's comment. "You're perfect, Maka. Don't get all modest," Tsubaki encouraged. Tsubaki's thumbs rubbed up against Maka's hands and while she did this, I noticed something glimmering on Tsubaki's left ring finger. _Oh my god…_

"Tsubaki, is that what I think it is?" I asked, pointing to her hands. She looked up and then looked down at her hand with that loving look returning back to her eyes. "Yeah, it is. I was going to go to the club tonight to announce it to the other girls, but I wanted you two to know first since you're our best friends," she explained. There was a certain sentiment to her words that easily melted mine and Maka's heart. Just to be recognized as a person of importance to someone is one of the best feelings, so I was glad that Black*Star and Tsubaki came to us first. Maka looked down at Tsubaki's hand and as soon as she noticed the star shaped, diamond wedding ring, she began to get all teary eyed. "Tsu! Oh my gosh, he asked you to marry him?!" she exclaimed.

The shouting must've woken Black*Star back up because he started groaning in pain as he sat back up, wincing as he rubbed the dent in his head. "'Course I did. What's a god without his goddess, right?" he snorted. This one time, just this one time, I actually didn't want to knock the confidence out of Black*Star. He was showing off a big, toothy smile to his wife-to-be, still looking like he was in pain. _These two are giving me a cavity over here just lookin' at them!_ Nonetheless, I let them have their moment. Both of us did.

Tsubaki was the first one to break the silence. "That reminds me…" she started, looking at Black*Star knowledgeably. He nodded at her to confirm her thoughts and she snatched up Maka's arm, dragging her back into her room with a blink of the eye. "Wai- Hey! Tsubaki, what're you-?!" Maka bellowed as she was being taken away. Before I got a chance to ask what was going on, Black*Star wrapped his arm around my shoulders in a brotherly fashion and gave them a shake.

"Soul," he started. "You know you're my best friend, right?" he asked. I didn't know what to make of this so I only nodded. "That means that you'll do anything to make me happy, right?" he asked once more.

"What're you getting at, Black*Star?" I asked. Black*Star wasn't always one to get straight to the point, but he looked pretty serious, so I just went along with his 'beat around the bush' style just for today. He gave my shoulders another shake and explained. "Tsubaki and I are thinking of planning the wedding as soon as we can so that we can have the wedding before she has the baby. Now, I know it's a bit hasty and all since we just told you that we're getting married, but I want my best friend to be part of this experience. I want you to be my best man," he said. I smiled up at my best pal and ruffled his hair, patting his back. "Of course, man. Don't scare me like that you damn fool. I thought you were going to tell me that you two were eloping off to Mexico or something. Jeez…" Black*Star cackled and started to wrestle with me like the old days. He really is my bestest friend. Though he's an idiot and he's a bit too loud for my taste, Black*Star and I have always been there for each other. That's why I decided to be his best man, because I know that when it's my turn to wait at the altar, I'd want him to be there for me as well.

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

Tsu slammed the door shut behind us and started giggling about while I demanded to know what was going on. "You can just grab people like that Tsubaki! You scared the crap out of me! You're lucky I didn't Maka-chop you!" I shouted. Tsu only held an index finger to her lips telling me to quiet down. When I remembered that she was pregnant and that I was shouting in her ear, I clamped my lips shut and awaited her explanation.

"Maka, I consider you my closest and bestest friend. You're the only one besides Black*Star that I can really talk to and I've come to think very highly of you as we got to know each other. That's why I have to ask you… Will you be the maid of honor in my wedding?" she asked. It sounded like she was proposing to _me_ , but regardless of that, I humbly accepted with an ecstatic nod and a tight hug.

"Of course I will! You're my best friend as well, so I hope that when my time has come to walk the isle, you'll be my maid of honor," I squeezed her tighter, speaking gently, making sure not to get too overexcited. _Today's been a long day, but not a bad one._

Tsubaki and I let go of each other and sat on the bed to talk normally while Black*Star and Soul have their manly chat. "So, now that we got that out of the way, how's _your_ relationship status?" Tsubaki asked. There wasn't much to tell, though I wish there had been. With all this marriage and kids thing going on, I couldn't help but feel a bit lonely. A girl needs some lovin' too, 'ya know.

"There's not really anything to say about it, I mean, I'm not talking to anyone and I'm not really seeing anyone." Tsubaki shook her head, as if that wasn't what she meant. "But are you _interested_ in anyone?" she asked, clarifying what she meant. I sat back on my bed for a moment in silence to really think about her question. _Well, I don't really talk to anyone, but my co-workers and none of them really peak my interest. Kid isn't my type, besides, he's happily married, the band members are a bit too old for me and Black*Star's already spoken for, not that I want an idiot like him anyway. That only leaves Soul and what was that guy's name again? Hiro Shimono? I mean, I guess he's cute, but from what I heard about him and Blair from Soul, I don't even know if I should even pounce on this prey. And Soul… out of the question. I care for Soul very much, but he's already got a fiancé that he's 100% dedicated to. I couldn't ruin a marriage, I just couldn't. That's completely against my morals…_

I sat back up and looked at Tsu. "There's this one guy that I met the other day at the club. Said his name was Hiro Shimono, or something like that? And-," before I could finish my sentence, Tsubaki waves his hands out and shakes her head in displeasure.

"No, Maka, trust me. Don't get involved with a man like him. He's just in it for fun. Why do you think he's gotten to Blair? Blair's just a slut who's also in it for fun, so of course he's go for her type. You're nothing like Blair, so take my word for it and aim higher on this one. You're way out of his league," she warned. A part of me thought she was right, but it wouldn't be right for me to judge a book by its cover. True, I knew nothing about the man but the rumors that get around, but he looked like he was a pretty deserving man. I wasn't sure what I was to make of it, so I just put it off.

"What about Soul? Has anything happened since you two have been living together?" he asked, now wearing a sadistic smirk that I had never seen before. I blushed under the pressure and shook my head violently. "No, no, you got it all wrong. Soul's already engaged to a beautiful, successful woman who he's head over heels for." Tsubaki raised an eyebrow for a quick second and then looked at me wonderingly. "Have you ever asked him when the last time he called Sarah was?" she asked. _Come to think of it… no. It's been a while since I've even heard the girl's name except for on the TV occasionally. I never get involved in Soul's personal life like that. Neither of us did, really._

I shook my head at Tsubaki and she smiled as if she knew something I didn't. "I don't want to get in the middle of you two, but instead, I'll give you a piece of advice. Don't be afraid to get close to Soul. You two are friends, it's okay to want to spend a little time with him. Don't let this marriage discourage you. Get close to him. Find out what makes him tick and what gets under his skin. Talk to him. No one will think any less of you if you do." I nodded in response and she chuckled, helping me up off the bed with her to return back to our boys in the living room.

* * *

Later that night, Tsubaki, Black*Star, Soul and I were off on our way to the club. Tsubaki came along with Black*Star to make the big reveal to the other dancers. There was no doubt in my mind that things were going to go smoothly, but Tsu still insisted in entering there with me, hand in hand. She wanted me to be there every step of the way, so I didn't object.

First thing, when we got to the club, Tsu ran right up the stairs, dragging my behind her. _She seems to be doing a lot of this today…_ When we got upstairs, all the girls were unloading their stuff and stretching before they got ready for the show. I left Tsu's side to grab Liz and Kid, bursting into their office once again.

"Damnit, Maka! You should really stop doing that. One day, you're going to come in at the wrong time," Liz scolded. I had no desire to know what she meant by that, so I only shuffled them over to Tsubaki without a word. By the time we joined the crowd around Tsubaki, Tsubaki's hand was covered behind her back, waiting for me to stand beside her.

"Guys, check it out!" Tsubaki exclaimed, raising her left hand to show everyone her gorgeous wedding ring. All the girls squealed in happiness and Liz patted Tsu on the shoulder. Kid looked over them all, looking around for Black*Star. When I noticed his search, I directed him over to Black*Star in the main area, talking to Soul at the bar. He made his way over and disappeared downstairs, to congratulate his friend. I silently stood next to Tsubaki, showing my pride in getting the chance to be a part of this huge moment in her life.

After the squealing quieted down, Liz spoke over all the rest. "I'm so damn happy for you, Tsubaki! I'm going to help you with all the planning, so don't you worry about a thing!" she buzzed. She seemed just as happy, as if it were her own wedding. _They're such close friends. They've known each other for a long time, so it's only natural for Liz to be so eager._

"Alright, girls. I know this is all big news and we're all happy for Tsubaki, but we've got a show to run, so start getting ready for your first numbers. Tsubaki, you'll stay and watch, right?" she asked. Tsubaki nodded and spoke in response. "I'm going to be down with Black*Star in the main area. He doesn't want me to leave his side tonight with all the business you guys have been getting. He said it's safer to be with him." Liz nodded in approval and saw her off to the main area. Before she left, Liz turned to me and told me how things were going to work. "I'm gonna have you close the show tonight. Like a big finale. Until then, you can just rest for the time being. I'll make sure to come get you when we need you. You've been working too hard, so why don't you go relax with Soul or something?" she offered. "Thank you, Liz. I really appreciate your concern," I thanked. Liz sometimes treated me like her own niece. I liked having that comfortable relationship with her. Sometimes she could be a hardass, but that's just how she gets as an owner of the club. I've noticed that something's also got her on edge as well. It's not really my business, but word's got around that we've got a debt to pay off and if we don't get the numbers right, then we lose the club. Like I said, it's not my business, but I do try hard for Liz and Kid. I know how much this burlesque club means to them. To everyone. So without fail, I listen to every order and complete them without question. Unlike a certain drama starter I know…

* * *

Like Liz said, I went into the main area where all the customers began to file in like clockwork. I took my usual stool at the bar, right in front of Soul and began to strike a conversation with him like every night.

"Not working tonight?" he asked, preparing the ice, liquor and mixers. "Oh, I am. Just not until later on. Liz wants me to close the show," I explicated. Soul nodded and concentrated back onto his organizing.

I thought back to what Tsubaki had said earlier that day. _"No, Maka, trust me. Don't get involved with a man like him. He's just in it for fun."_ Tsubaki and Soul both said that he doesn't particularly commit to anyone. _"Why do you think he's gotten to Blair? Blair's just a slut who's also in it for fun, so of course he's go for her type. You're nothing like Blair, so take my word for it and aim higher on this one. You're way out of his league."_ I chuckled a bit to myself at Tsubaki's comment, considering for out of character it was. Usually Tsubaki was a sweetie to everyone, but she clearly wasn't a fan of Blair's. She has a point though. Why would Hiro go after a woman like Blair if he didn't like her type? I certainly wasn't anything like her, so why even bother with a man like him? Though, I can't help but wonder what he's really like. I've heard many bad things about him, but if he's getting all this attention from women, then he must have some good points to him as well. _But I mean, c'mon… who're you gonna believe? Your friends who have actually got a chance to meet the guy or your curious mind who knows nothing at all about him? No. It would be smart to just trust my friends and stick to the rumors in this case. They would never have warned me if they trusted him._

That being said, I shook my head clean of any thoughts concerning Hiro Shimono and thought about what else Tsu and I had talked about. I vividly remembered her mentioning Sarah while we were talking. _What was it she said? Oh yeah. "Have you ever asked him when the last time he called Sarah was?"_ Even though Soul and Sarah didn't talk as much as a couple should when they're this far apart, that didn't excuse the fact that he's engaged already. It's already bad enough that I'm living with the guy right now behind Sarah's back. This was as close as the two of us would get, that's all there is to it. I'll admit this much, though: It's kind of upsetting. Being all distanced the way we are. I mean, we never really get to see much of each other in the day since I go into work to practice in the afternoons and sometimes even as early as 5am. Sometimes, I really do wish that we could just sit down, talk and just hang out.

Without knowing it, I was sulking quite enough to concern Soul a bit. He tapped me on the shoulder to snap me out of whatever thoughts were racing through my head. "You alright? Looks like something's on your mind," he pointed out. I quickly shook my head 'no' in response and said, "No! I'm fine…" Soul didn't look the least bit convinced. "You sure? You looked pretty intense there for a moment." I didn't bother answering and Soul didn't bother prying any further. I guess I just wasn't in the mood to hide anything since it was so totally obvious that _something had_ been on my mind.

As if it were some sick coincidence, I watched as the crowd filled up the empty corners of the burlesque club when I see out of the corner of my eye, the devil himself, seating himself at his usual booth. Of course, my thoughts were filled to the brim with Hiro Shimono once again, unwillingly that is.

I faced Soul once again, who still hadn't noticed the businessman's presence yet. "Soul, just out of curiosity, what do you think of Hiro Shimono?" I asked, lowering my voice to avoid any eavesdroppers listening in on our conversation. Soul cocked an eyebrow at me and answered my question with another question. "Why do you ask?" he questioned. I bobbed my head in Hiro's direction to tell Soul to look his way and sure enough, he did, only to roll his eyes despicably at the sight and sigh. "Well, to answer your question, in my opinion, I think the guy's a greedy prick. He takes anything he wants, he takes everyone's girl and then trashes both of them when he gets bored of them. Totally uncool." I heard what he was saying and I believed him, but my interest to find out more still hadn't died. I planned to stick with my gut feeling and trust my friends' words of advice, but something told me that things weren't going to go as planned this time… When have they ever gone as planned?

"Why do you ask?" Soul began to pry. I didn't mind his questions; he deserved an answer. The only thing was that I didn't have a valid one to give him. "No reason, just wondering," I said. Soul, once again, did not look convinced at all. He took another quick glance between Hiro and I and looked me dead in the eyes. "Look, if you really wanna find out for yourself what type of guy the man is, then just go over and give him some of your time. It's not like your company wouldn't be welcomed by him anyway." For some reason, Soul looked a bit pissed off as he spat Hiro's name. It was kinda… _cute_ actually.

I laughed, shocking Soul from the unexpected response. "Honestly, I'd rather be over here with you. He's not my kind of guy anyway. Might as well not waste any time," I said with a bright smile, stretching from ear to ear. I meant it too. Who would wanna spend their time with a womanizing jerk when they could spend time with their best friend? It goes without saying that I'd much rather spend my time with Soul than Hiro.

Soul stared at me with disbelief and utter surprise. Even his cheeks and ears were reddening at my sudden confession, but I didn't take note of it. Instead, I smiled even wider and spoke before he could get a say in. "Though, I see you're gonna be pretty busy tonight, so I'll stay out of your way. I'll be over there, bothering the lovebirds if you need me." I arose from my stool and walked over to Tsubaki and Black*Star without so much as looking back. _I think I've said enough for one night. He's engaged. We have to stay distanced. It's for the best… despite how much I wish we didn't have to be._

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

Maka left me… just like that… open-mouthed, wide eyed and bright faced. She walked over to Tsubaki and Black*Star and I really started to feel the urge to just chase after her and bring her back, but I managed to fight it off. _"I'd rather be here with you."_ What was that supposed to mean?! It probably only meant that she likes being around a close friend… but… what if… _Nah. That just has to be my imagination. There's no way she could…_ Maka had never really shown any clear sign of affection towards me except for that one time. That had been the first time she had ever been so sentimental towards me and because of that, I had no idea how to react.

There had always been this big, thick wall between Maka and I and she seemed to respect the distance pretty well, but that's only what I could grab from her behavior. Never would I ever be able to tell what was really going on in that brain of hers. Maybe she _does_ want to get closer to me, friend-wise, but I could never know for sure.

 _Whatever. It's best to not just assume things when it comes to Maka, so let me just lay low. There's no reason to get all antsy about it. Maka will make her intentions clear with time, so stay cool._ With that, I returned to work and ignored the personal crap for the time being.

* * *

 _NORMAL P.O.V_

Maka and the band was setting behind the red velvet curtains as always before a performance. The gussied up blonde was strutting a lingerie completely made of pearls, wrapping around her neck, breasts and lower region, while she bobbed her hair in a short, flapper-like blonde wig that Kid insisted on her trying out. She wasn't really used to having short hair, nor did she ever have to desire to cut it short, but this hairstyle wasn't… _terrible._ In fact, one could say she looked quite old fashioned as the costume aimed for. Maka's cherry red lips and smoked out eyeshadow contrasted with her pearly white foundation, exquisitely and essentially hid any imperfections, making her look almost unapproachable. By now, Maka had been used to looking this way, but what worried her this time was the number _itself._

She was pretty shaken up when Liz had first told her about how the dance would go for this song. It's certainly not anything like she had performed before, which is exactly why she was the finale. Dreading on what the outcome would be if she were to mess up even the simplest of steps, Maka nearly fainting, plopping down on a speaker box with a hand placing on her aching head. _What was Liz thinking? I understand she wants to reel in more customers, but this just spells disaster for me. Leave it up to Liz to make me take the risk of flashing the whole club. Ugh, if push comes to shove, I'm definitely going to kill her for this._

The band signals to Maka and her backup dancers that they're ready for action and as Maka's heart drops down into her stomach, she gulps down her negative emotions and nodded. The band begins to play a familiar song and the curtains rose, shining a dimmer light onto the stage than what Maka's used to. She decided to brush off all worries and work her magic like she would for any normal performance. _Liz wouldn't make me do anything she wasn't sure about…_ Maka thought to herself and parted her lips to sing.

 _CHRISTINA AGUILERA – GUY WHAT TAKES HIS TIME_

 _A guy what takes his time, I'll go for any time_

 _I'm a fast movin' gal who likes them slow_

 _Got no use for fancy drivin', want to see a guy arrivin' in low._

 _I'd be satisfied, electrified to know a guy what takes his time_

Maka slowly kicks her legs out in front of her as she walked around the edge of the stage, hands on hips, jutting out a shoulder each time she takes a step. Her backup dancers simply waved their giant, feathered fans, creating a light breeze. Each of them were sitting on opposite sides of Maka, teasing the men in the crowd with seductive smirks and crossed, bare legs showing from their hoisted up skirts. So far, everything seemed to be working out as planned, which boosted the singer's confidence.

 _A hurry-up affair, I always give the air_

 _Wouldn't give any rushin' gent a smile._

With that one line, Maka turned her back to the crowd, only to have the top part of her costume, covering her breasts yanked off from her body. Maka turned her head to the crowd to give them a fake, surprised expression making the audience laugh, while snatching a large fan from one of the backup dancers and turning back around and give the men a playful smile and twirling around gracefully.

 _I would go for any singer who would condescend to linger awhile_

 _What a lullaby would be supplied to have a guy what takes his time_

Maka turned to the band behind her and swayed her hips as she dipped down and slowly rose back up to her place. Over at the bar, Soul's mouth fell open at the sight of a topless Maka hidden behind that cursed fan, blocking everyone's view. A small red puddle began to trickle down his upper lips, but he didn't even bother to clean it since he could tell there would much more where that came from. ' _Damnit, Liz! One of these days I'm gonna die from loss of too much blood because of you!'_ he thought to himself as he failed to peel his eyes from the stage.

 _A guy what takes his time, I'd go for any time_

 _A hasty job really spoils a master's touch_

 _I don't like a big commotion, I'm a demon for slow motion or such_

 _Why should I deny that I would die to know a guy who takes his time_

The last piece of clothing Maka had on was taken from her, like the last one had and she stood completely bare behind those oversized feathers that the dancers provided for her. Maka thanked whoever was up there that everything was going as planned so far and no mess ups were made. Maka had a few more lines to sing before the feathered fans were removed completely, so she tried her best to stay focused and concentrated just as she had practiced.

 _There isn't any fun in getting something done_

 _If you're rushed when you have to make the grade_

 _I can spot an amateur, appreciate a connesseur in his trade_

 _Who would qualify, no alibi, to be the guy who takes his time_

This was it… the big finale. Maka stood behind a line of backup dancers who held out their feathered fans to cover the bodacious blonde's exposed body. She stood with her hands on her hips, once again making her way to the front and center of the stage, jutting out a shoulder each step she took. The closer she got to the front, the more feathered fans would drop, until… The last feathered fan dropped and Maka stood there bare, shimming her chest in front of the leaned in crowd, censoring her precious lady parts with two cymbals and a bell. The crowd cheered and roared with claps as the curtain finally dropped, giving Maka true satisfaction.

A dancer came up to her and helped her put on a bathrobe to cover herself up and she humbly thanked her for her assistance. Maka finished tying the robe tightly and walked over to Kid and Liz who waited for her behind the stage. Liz handed her a light towel and smiled exceptionally. "See? I told you it would all work it fine! You did great tonight, as expected," Liz praised. Patty ran up next to her twin sister and leaned on her shoulder. "Yeah, you were great! I still think Liz should've went with my giraffe censors though," Patty frowned like a young child. Liz only rolled her eyes at her sister's recommendation. "Don't listen to her. Go get your things and go get a good night's rest. You deserve it," Kid said. Maka nodded exhaustedly and walked away to get ready as she was told.

After Maka was finished with her packing up and dressing up after dressing down, like always, she ran straight for the bar where Soul was composing himself. She sat in her regular seat and eyed Soul who was holding a handkerchief up to his poor nose.

"Uh, you okay?" Maka asked suspiciously. She hadn't even noticed any particular reason why he would've had a nosebleed. Although she was smart, she was pretty clueless. Soul wiped his nose and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine," he replied. Maka forgot about the whole thing and moved on to ask his opinion on her show. "So how was _that_ for a finale?" she asked leaning forward with a cocky smile, deviously eyeing Soul once again. Soul cleared his throat and looked away, nervously. "Y-yeah, preeeetty… *ahem* interesting turn of events," he struggled to say lightly, putting the handkerchief back up to his bleeding nose that had started up again.

Maka laughed and sat back in her chair. "Well, I'm ready to go when you are. I'm in the mood to make some pizza tonight if you want," she offered. Soul nodded his head without hesitance and put away the last of his glasses. He sniffled and said, "Yeah, I'm just about ready. Wait here for me while I go grab my things." He disappeared into the backroom and arrived back in no time with his things. As they leave the club together, Maka can feel the stare of both Hiro and Blair who had been cuddling up with each other in their normal booth together this whole time, but she paid neither of them any mind.

Outside, Soul had parked his motorcycle up on the side of the burlesque club. They both mounted the bike and Soul started it up, telling Maka to hold on tight like he did every time they rode the bike together. Maka sat behind Soul close enough to smell his sweet-smelling cologne through his leather jacket. She loved that scent. It was _his_ scent. Every time the scent found its way to her nose, she suddenly felt safe and at home. It was one that she wouldn't trade for any other. _Soul…_ Maka leaned in closer and nudged her face into his back with a happy smile on her face. Soul noticed her arms clenching around his waist tighter and just like that, he felt adoration for Maka. Adoration that he couldn't even explain.

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

I'll be the first to admit that when we got to the apartment, I immediately missed Maka's warmth when she released me and walked right for the doors of the apartment complex. I sat on the bike, watching her walk off in a daze for a minute, but I snapped myself out of it before too long.

Maka went straight to work when we stepped into the apartment. I was still putting my stuff down on the table, but Maka was already preparing the pizza pies. She was getting out all of the ingredients like she was in a rush to get somewhere and all I did was just sit there, chuckling with my arms crossed.

"Going somewhere?" I asked teasingly. She replied with specific look that told me to 'get real' and she said, "No, I'm just starving! I've been craving pepperoni pineapple pizza for a while now!" ***A/N: (; am I the only one?!*** I shook my head and threw my stuff in my bedroom. Wherever they landed was wherever they stayed until I needed my things again.

Maka cooked alone while I laid across the couch, listening to my blasting radio with the back of my wrist, resting over my eyes. I found comfort in laying and listening as Maka pitter pattered all over the apartment. I found peace in her presence. Just to know that she was there. I didn't have to see her or converse with her. I only needed to know that she was another warm body in the apartment besides myself.

One of Maka's songs that she showed me a few days ago began to play on the speakers and I turned it up a few notches louder. Feeling her happy, yet shocked gaze on me, I grinned a shark toothed smile at her with my eye still closed and hidden behind my arm.

 _LIGHTS – QUIET_

 _I'm not yours, and you're not mine_

 _But we can sit and pass the time_

 _No fighting wars, no ringing chimes_

 _We're just feeling fine_

 _This is where we're supposed to be_

 _Sitting by a broken tree_

 _No tragedy, no poetry_

 _Just staring at the sky_

 _I could wait a thousand hours_

 _Stay the same in sun and showers_

 _Pick apart a hundred flowers_

 _Just to be quiet_

 _Tell me when you feel ready_

 _I'm the one, there's not too many_

 _Hold my hand to keep me steady_

 _Just to be quiet_

 _With you_

I listened to the words carefully, only to end up comparing them to my own feelings. The woman was talking about how she wouldn't really care if her and her lover were silently sitting beside each other as long as they were together. She doesn't mind waiting for her lover as long as one day, they'll get to spend time with each other. I peeked up at Maka from underneath my arm and saw her singing along, smiling brightly and cheerfully. Her contagious smile brought another to my face as I placed the arm back down over my eyes. _Yeah… I wouldn't mind at all. I don't care if you understand or not. All I need is you to be here. That's all I really need…_

 _I like it here beside you dear_

 _you're even more than you appear_

 _And in the clouds my head is clear_

 _Every time you say hello_

 _So here's my heart, and here's my mouth_

 _And I can't help if things come out_

 _'Cause there are words I want to shout_

 _But maybe I'll stay low_

 _I could wait a thousand hours_

 _Stay the same in sun and showers_

 _Pick apart a hundred flowers_

 _Just to be quiet_

 _Tell me when you feel ready_

 _I'm the one, there's not too many_

 _Hold my hand to keep me steady_

 _Just to be quiet_

I felt the couch bounce a bit near my head and looked up from underneath my arm once again. I saw Maka sitting there, looking down at me, but I only smiled up at her. Nothing really needed to be said.

 _I could wait a thousand hours_

 _Stay the same in sun and showers_

 _Pick apart a hundred flowers_

 _Just to be quiet_

 _Tell me when you feel ready_

 _I'm the one, there's not too many_

 _Hold my hand to keep me steady_

 _Just to be quiet_

 _With you_

Maka continued to sing until the song was over. I don't know how we got like this, but at some point, Maka started stroking my hair while she sang beside me. I didn't push her away or move away. Instead, I leaned in closer. Her touch felt nice, so I took advantage of the opportunity and stayed still, afraid that if I moved a single inch, she would pull away. _Damn, this girl's got me so wrapped around her finger. How uncool… Eh, what the hell… What harm could it do?_ We sat still and stayed like that until the timer for the pizza beckoned Maka towards the kitchen.

I forced myself up off the couch to sit at the table with Maka, who was setting up the table and putting the pizza in the middle. I told her that I'd just have whatever she's having, so there I was, sharing a pepperoni pineapple pizza with her. I thought she was weird at first for liking those two toppings together, but it actually wasn't as bad as I thought… _surprisingly._

We ate in silence, too wrapped up in eating our pizza to say anything, but right in the middle of eating, my cellphone rang. I looked over at it where it vibrated on the table. Obviously, it was Sarah. I didn't have to think twice about hanging up the phone. I had nothing to say to her, besides, I was with Maka. Why would I answer the phone when I'm spending what's left of my night with her? I could talk to Sarah anytime I wanted. _She can wait._

Maka stayed mute for the majority of the night, but I had only figured that she was tired. After a completely silent dinner, we laid back down in our places on the couch with a couple of drinks in our hands, looking up at the ceiling and thinking about our days as the radio continued to play. I didn't bother making a conversation with Maka, I only waited for her to talk if she felt the need to.

 _FLYLEAF – THERE FOR YOU_

 _Sometimes I'm a selfish fake_

 _You're always a true friend_

 _And I don't deserve you_

 _'Cause I'm not there for you_

 _Please forgive me again_

 _I wanna be there for you,_

 _Someone you can come to_

 _Runs deeper than my bones_

 _I wanna be there for you_

 _I wanna be there for you_

I noticed that it started getting a little awkward with Maka not speaking, so I spoke first. "Anything on your mind?" I asked, looking over at her seriously. Maka looked at me in the corner of her eye, looking a bit serious herself. "Hmm? Oh, I was just thinking that if I have another one of these drinks tonight, then I'll have to be carried to bed," she joked with a nervous smile. "Hah…" I snickered. It's kinda true that she can't really hold her liquor very well. She's alright, I'll give her that.

 _Swirling shades of blue_

 _Slow dancing in your eyes_

 _The sun kisses the earth_

 _And I hush my urge to cry, cry_

 _I wanna be there for you,_

 _Someone you can come to_

 _Runs deeper than my bones_

 _I wanna be there for you_

 _I wanna be there for you_

 _'Cause I hear the whispered words_

 _In your masterpiece beautiful_

 _You speak the unspeakable thought_

 _I love you too_

Maka was the one to break the silence this time. She seemed kind of on edge about what she was about to say, so she gulped down the last of her drink in one swig. "A-also…" she started. "Hmm?" Maka twiddled her thumbs and looked down at them carefully. She was scaring me a little bit, but I didn't urge her to hurry to ease my anxiety. "Well, I was thinking that we should… h-hang out tomorrow," she proposed. _That's all she wanted to ask? Wow, I guess girls really do get shy over stuff like this._

"Hmm…? Sure, sounds cool," I replied, paying my attention back to the ceiling. Maka sat up and stared at me; I could feel the gaze from a mile away. "Really?" she asked unbelievably. I nodded and crossed my arms behind my head. "Yeah, sure, why not? We haven't hung out in a while, so I see no problem," I said. Maka's grin stretched from ear to ear and she got right up from the couch to put away her glass. "Cool. Well, I'm gonna hit the hay. Goodnight, Soul." She walked off into her bedroom as I bid her goodnight.

I sat there in the dark, thinking about our conversation and laughed a bit at her nervousness. "Goodnight, Maka," I said once more to myself after she left the room. I gulped down the rest of my drink and listened to one last song before I got my goodnight's rest. I had something to look forward to, so I had to get as much sleep as I could.

 _My chick she's a little bit punk rock,_

 _Can't stand when I'm listening to hip-hop,_

 _She prefers White Snake over Drake_

 _(Whatever!)_

 _But I make her listen to it anyway_

 _She gets mad cause I'm always on my iPhone,_

 _A Blackberry can't barely get a signal,_

 _She's so on-time when I'm always running late,_

 _(Hurry up!)_

 _I guess she's gonna have to wait_

 _[Chorus:]_

 _Thinking I'm in way over my head,_

 _Yeah!_

 _She say's left and I say right,_

 _Yeah she says yes and I just might,_

 _Cause I go up and she goes down,_

 _Yeah I say something and she freaks out,_

 _I swear she's out to get me,_

 _She's horror-movie crazy,_

 _And I'm telling you she hates me_

 _She's unlike any other,_

 _Man I think I love her,_

 _Wooooo,_

 _Man I think I love her,_

 _Wooooo,_

 _Man I think I love her,_

 _My chick she's a little bit psycho,_

 _She drew blood on American Idol,_

 _(Hey!)_

 _She's always hiding the remote from me,_

 _Sucks for her that it's my TV_

 _She's in my face whenever I'm driving,_

 _(I know where I'm going! I know you're lying! Whatever!)_

 _My girlfriend talks too much,_

 _(BLAH BLAH BLAH!)_

 _Man, she never shuts up_

 _[Chorus:]_

 _She says left and I say right,_

 _Yeah she says yes and I just might,_

 _Cause I go up and she goes down,_

 _Yeah I say something and she freaks out,_

 _I swear she's out to get me,_

 _She's horror-movie crazy,_

 _And I'm telling you she hates me_

 _She's unlike any other,_

 _Man I think I love her_

 _She says left and I say right,_

 _Yeah she says yes and I just might,_

 _Cause I go up and she goes down,_

 _Yeah I say something and she freaks out,_

 _I swear she's out to get me,_

 _She's horror-movie crazy,_

 _And she definitely hates me_

 _She's unlike any other,_

 _Man I think I love her_

 _Wooooo,_

 _Man I think I love her,_

 _Wooooo,_

 _Man I think I love her,_

 _My chick's always listening to Green Day,_

 _She kinda hates it when I try to be like Kanye,_

 _Man this chick goes on and on and on and on,_

 _(Anything but Brittany!)_

 _She says left and I say ready,_

 _Yeah she says yes and I just might,_

 _Cause I go up and she goes down,_

 _Yeah I say something and she freaks out,_

 _I swear she's out to get me,_

 _She's horror-movie crazy,_

 _And I'm telling you she hates me,_

 _She's unlike any other,_

 _Man I think I love her_

 _She says left and I say ready,_

 _Yeah she says yes and I just might,_

 _Cause I go up and she goes down,_

 _Yeah I say something and she freaks out,_

 _I swear she's out to get me,_

 _She's horror-movie crazy,_

 _And she definitely she hates me_

 _She's unlike any other,_

 _Man I think I love her_

 _(So I know this chick, right?)_

 _Wooooo,_

 _Man I think I love her,_

 _(Man I take this girl out to dinner and she's so polite.)_

 _Wooooo,_

 _Man I think I love her,_

 _Man I think I love her_

 _'_ _Yeah… that's so like Maka…'_ I thought to myself as I shut off the radio and chuckled all the way to my room.

 **A/N:** **I hope that was worth the wait! UGGHHHH! I have to say, I'm so in love with the songs in this chapter. ESPECIALLY LIGHTS - QUIET. You guys should really give it a listen. It's such a pretty song. Tell me, who else loves pepperoni pineapple pizza?! YES! Also, who else just wants Soul and Sarah to break up -_-" Like ugh! Even I hate them together! SOUL X MAKA ALL DAY! Anyways, again, I have to apologize for the HUUUUGGEEEE delay. I hope this makes up for it. I've already gotten on top of chapter 10, so we shouldn't have too much trouble getting back on track with all my troubles and worries out of the way. Thank you for your patience! I'll see you soon, so stay beautiful my friends! (: ;D**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** **It has come to my attention that there have been some weird errors in the last update for Chapter Ten that was posted yesterday. You all have brought it to my attention so here's a new update that should fix the issue. I apologize for not reviewing my work before I posted it, I'll be sure not to make the same mistake again. So I'll get straight to the point and get to the disclaimers. DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER, BURLESQUE OR ANY OF THE SONGS CONTAINED IN THIS CHAPTER! Happy reading! (:**

 _CHAPTER TEN:_

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

 _Alright, we've got the eggs, vanilla extract, bread (gotta have that…), cinnamon and sugar. Great, that's all I need. Oops! I should check to see if we have bacon… Yup! (surprisingly, we've got plenty). Awesome, let's get started._

I've always woken up before Soul on any normal day, so like on any normal day, I prepared breakfast for two before the beast awoken. Today was gonna be a good day, I could just tell. It was 9 in the morning, yet I already had a smile plastered on my face since I woke up. These days have been good to me lately, so I often found myself getting excited to go to sleep and then wake up early in the morning like this.

It had been about a week since I had first asked Soul to hang out with me before work. The time for each other was certainly overdue, but we made up for it by hanging out every day since then. Most of the time, we would go out to the store or run some errands, but it was time that we spent _together_ so neither of us were really bothered. In fact, it felt great having someone there to run errands with and goof off while completing tedious tasks. In the morning, Soul and I would do our regular morning routines and then lounge around until we figured out what we wanted or needed to do. Today was one of those days. We didn't have anything planned and Liz doesn't need me to come in until the bar opens up tonight, so I had no reason to rush my morning.

Soul and I have been getting awfully close… like… best friend close… like brother and sister close, but that's where I draw the line. Sarah, Soul's fiancé is still a factor in this relationship, so I must be considerate to their engagement. If I ever felt like Soul and I were getting too friendly, I would just back up a bit and make it obvious that that's as far as any of this goes. He went at my pace and paid close attention to my body language, so there was never any misunderstandings… I think… but besides that, everything has been smooth sailing so far.

Sarah and Soul seem to have been getting better at calling each other on a daily basis. I've noticed that Soul doesn't really ignore her calls anymore unless he's busy with something, but he'd always call her right back when he gets the chance. I talked to him one day about it and I guess he took my words into consideration because after I talked to him, he's been better and less hostile towards his soon-to-be wife.

 _"_ _Soul, you should really stop ignoring Sarah's calls. She's gonna get worried about you if you do," I said as his head laid on my lap and I stroked his white, fluffy bangs and put them off to the side. Soul looked up at me, confusion clouding his face. He didn't look very happy._

 _"_ _What do you mean? Sarah'll be fine. I just don't have anything to say to her," he huffed, closing his eyes once more and enjoyed my pets. He's always been stubborn, but when he hung up the phone just then when Sarah's contact photo came up on his cellphone screen, I saw hatred in his eyes for a brief second. I can tell that he's lying. It wasn't just that he had nothing to say to her, he didn't want to say anything to her, for whatever reason he had._

 _I frowned down at him. "Soul… You're lying to me. I don't know why you're so mad at Sarah, but she'll never know if you don't tell her. I think it's best if you call her… Let her know what's up. She's your fiancé, she's bound to listen if you make her listen," I assured. I couldn't read any emotion in Soul's expression. He just looked peaceful in thought. After a brief silence, he eventually nodded and smirked up at me._

 _'_ _What goes on in that head of yours, Soul Eater Evans?'_

I remembered that night clearly, but I quickly got snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of a door opening from the other room. Soul appeared in the kitchen with a tired look in his eyes as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes with his fist, much like a child. I giggled at the sight of his disheveled bed hair.

"Morning sleepyhead, nice bedhair. Should I call Frankenstein's wife to come get her hair back?" I asked, teasingly. That comment seemed to have fully awakened him as his scratchy, morning voice mocked back.

"Me? Look at your mop-looking mess!" he pointed at my frizzy, let-down hair. He put me in a rough, yet gentle headlock and messed my hair up even more. "Hey! C'mon, Soul! My hair!" I exclaimed as he let go, laughing his head off. I playfully puffed out my cheeks and picked out one of the cookbooks from the cabinets above. " **MAKA-CHOP!** " I screetched as I slammed one of the books down on his head. "Owww… Alright, alright, I get it… What's for breakfast, you tyrant?" he asked, rubbing his head with a flinched look. "French toast. Also, I'm cooking the rest of the bacon for you," I said, showing him my pan of cooked French toast. Soul nods with approval. "Sounds good to me. I'm takin' a shower before breakfast," he announced, taking the radio with him to the bathroom.

While I cooked a copious amount of French toast, the sound of running water, hitting the floor of the bathtub hit my ears, along with the sound of one of Soul's favorite rock songs on full blast, making me wonder how he hasn't already gone deaf. I liked the song as well, so I bopped around the kitchen to the beat of the song.

 _GET SCARED – IF ONLY SHE KNEW VOODOO LIKE I DO_

 _I'm so nervous it shake the fingertips that are coursing through your hair._

 _With those lovely lips that are made to kiss oh you put me in a spin._

 _You've got a body of a goddess_

 _You've got the moves that make me sweat_

 _You've got a voice that makes me breathless._

 _Girl I've got you_

 _Under a spell and I don't think I'll be letting you out._

 _I've got you!_

 _If this is heaven then baby I don't want to know hell._

I heard Soul humming along to the song while I actually sang the song quietly to myself. I had a thing for all types of music, but Soul favored these rock songs the most, so I heard this one pretty frequently. I wasn't bothered by it in the slightest. I actually enjoyed the song almost as much as he did.

 _She says my singing gets her thinking filthy,_

 _The thoughts she's thinking I know I'm not worthy._

 _I know what I need to sweep her off her feet_

 _She knows the work will damn near kill me._

 _Girl I've got you_

 _Under a spell and I don't think I'll be letting you out._

 _I've got you!_

 _If this is heaven then baby I don't want to know hell._

 _Girl I've got you_

 _Under a spell and I don't think I'll be letting you out._

 _I've got you!_

 _If this is heaven then baby I don't want to know hell._

 _Girl I've got you_

 _I've got you_

 _She makes me weak at my knees._

 _Take me, take me!_

 _She can't resist me,_

 _She's just what I need,_

 _She makes me so weak_

 _At my knees, at my knees._

 _Girl I've got you_

 _Under a spell and I don't think I'll be letting you out._

 _I've got you under a spell_

 _Girl I've got you_

 _Under a spell and I don't think I'll be letting you out._

 _I've got you!_

 _If this is heaven then baby I don't want to know hell._

 _Girl I've got you_

 _Under a spell and I don't think I'll be letting you out._

 _I've got you!_

 _If this is heaven then baby I don't want to know hell._

 _If this is heaven then baby I don't want to know hell._

I sang the last few lines and was surprised at the next song that played. It was one that I had really liked at the moment. I couldn't believe that Soul actually added all of my songs to his playlist. I _did_ say that we had a similar taste in rock music. When I heard the drums playing the opening, I bobbed my head to the song that I was quite familiar with.

 _THE RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS – FACE DOWN_

 _Hey, girl, you know you drive me crazy_

 _One look puts the rhythm in my hand._

 _Still I'll never understand why you hang around_

 _I see what's going down._

 _Cover up with make-up in the mirror_

 _Tell yourself, it's never gonna happen again_

 _You cry alone and then he swears he loves you._

 _Do you feel like a man when you push her around?_

 _Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?_

 _Well, I'll tell you, my friend, one day this world's gonna end_

 _As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found._

I flipped the French toast batch and the turned the bacon over, using the spared time to set the table for the two of us. I sang along, hitting every single lyric perfectly from hearing the song so many times. It was pretty old, but it was still an all time favorite.

 _A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect_

 _Every action in this world will bear a consequence_

 _If you wade around forever, you will surely drown_

 _I see what's going down._

 _I see the way you go and say you're right again,_

 _Say you're right again_

 _Heed my lecture._

 _Do you feel like a man when you push her around?_

 _Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?_

 _Well, I'll tell you, my friend, one day this world's gonna end_

 _As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found_

 _[2x]_

 _Face down in the dirt,_

 _She said, "This doesn't hurt."_

 _She said, "I finally had enough."_

 _One day she will tell you that she has had enough_

 _[Album version:] It's coming round again._

 _[Music video version:] He's coming round again._

 _[2x]_

 _Do you feel like a man when you push her around?_

 _Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?_

 _Well, I'll tell you, my friend, one day this world's gonna end_

 _As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found_

Right when I was putting the last of the French toast and bacon on a plate, I heard the bathroom door open, loudening the music. I was unexpected wrapped up from behind in a wet, bear hug as water droplets dampened my oversized t-shirt that I wore as a nightgown.

"Sneak attack!" Soul shouts over the music. He picked me up off the floor and hugged me tightly. Through my shirt, I could feel his heated abs, completely bare against my back, meaning he must've only been wearing a towel on his lower half.

 _[2x]_

 _Face down in the dirt,_

 _She said, "This doesn't hurt."_

 _She said, "I finally had enough."_

The music ended in the background. I flailed around in Soul's arms, failing to loosen his grip on me. "Ack! Soooouuulll! What are you doing?! My clothes are all wet now!" I shouted. Soul eventually let me back down and laughed at me. I laughed along at his stupid sneak attack and turned around, only to be faced with a soaked Soul, wearing a long white towel to cover his bottom half, exposing his dripping wet, toned, chest. Soul was chuckling as he ran a hand through his cold, dripping hair. The kitchen floor was soaked as well, but I could hardly pay attention to it.

I admired his six-pack, never really noticing before how well he treats his body. Sure, he eats like a damned pig, but it didn't show at all. His arms were muscular and strong looking. _He's beautiful…_

Soul looked up at me and I turned my head to the side, cheeks burning with embarrassment, but it seemed that he didn't notice. "Breakfast is ready," I squeaked. Soul nodded and walked out of the kitchen to get changed saying, "Cool, wait for me. I'm going to change." Trying my hardest to purify my dirty thoughts, I shook my head back into reality and set the table as quickly as possible.

 _Soul… he's so handsome…_ No matter how hard I tried to deny my own thoughts, it was all completely true. I always thought that Soul had been attractive in one way or another, but I never really paid close attention to him like I just did. His rare, ruby orbs that shined every time I looked into them, his pure, virgin-white hair that put the newly driven snow to shame, his sun-kissed skin that looked almost golden… I know it's not right to think that way about an engaged man. I should be ashamed of myself for thinking so vulgarly about a taken man… but I'm… not. These thoughts are unavoidable. Soul is Soul and that won't change.

As I sat at the table, patiently awaiting Soul's return, my cell began to vibrate. It was Tsubaki.

"Hello?" I answered as soon as I saw her name flash across the screen. "Hi, Maka! It's me. Are you busy today?" Tsu asked. Soul then emerged from his bedroom and looked at me, quizzically. He mouthed 'Who's that?' and I mouthed back, 'Tsubaki'. He nodded his head understandingly and took his seat across from me, silently picking food for his plate.

"Not exactly. Soul and I were just going to hang around for a bit before work, why?" I explained and asked. Tsubaki took a sigh of relief and continued, "I was just wondering if you could stop by for measurements. It's been terribly difficult to get all the girls here together to do the measurements for their bridesmaid dresses, so I have to do everyone's individually. You know how Liz's schedule's been lately with the club and all," I nodded as she explained, understanding her frustration. "Yeah, that sounds fine. I can drop by in about an hour if that's okay with you," I offered. "Perfect! Bring Soul along with you, alright?" she requested. I nodded once more, not expecting her to see my response. "Yeah, I will. I'll let him know now. Black*Star's there, right?" I asked. "Yes. He's not going into work until the opening hours." I looked at Soul, he was staring at me as he shoveled a piece of French toast into his mouth. I smirked at him, letting him know that everything is okay. "Alright, great. See ya' then." I bid my farewell and hung up the phone.

I readied my plate and explained the plan to Soul. "So, Tsubaki just called and told me that she wants to get my measurements for the Maid of Honor dress in an hour or so. She told me to bring you along with me." Soul nodded and continued to eat the last bites of his helping. I finished my food in silence, quickly trying to clean my plate so I could have time to get ready. After breakfast, I had Soul clean up for me while I took my shower. "Alright, I'll hurry up and get ready, so clean up for me, will ya'?" I instructed, walking away before he could say anything else in retort. "Fine…" Soul sighed before I closed the bathroom door.

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

 _She can get so bossy sometimes…_ I thought this, but in the end, I always did what she asked of me. I cleared the tabletop and washed the dishes (not as well as Maka would've, but hey, I washed them, didn't I?). In the bathroom, Maka's singing voice was heard, bouncing off of the walls and carrying off into the kitchen. I laughed. _She's still so childish, singing in the shower like a little kid…*sigh*_

Things had been a bit different lately. Maka had seemed… happier… in a sense. Like she did that morning, Maka had started singing bouncy, uppity songs in the shower like waking up in the morning was the best thing that ever happened to her. Her attitude towards me has changed quite a bit as well. She's a lot more open and free now, as opposed to a week ago when I felt as if she was pushing me away when we got too close. Something in her mind must've clicked all of a sudden. It was like a lightbulb went off in her head and just like that, Maka turned into a whole new person. It's not to say that I don't particularly _like_ this change… Rather, I prefer it. I've always wanted us to get closer like we are now, though I can still see Maka's hesitance.

Maka always respected my relationship with Sarah, meaning that she wouldn't really want to touch on the subject too much or "barge in" on her territory. Of course, with Maka's sense of morality, she still distances herself whenever she feels it's necessary, but I guess I can understand that much. I _am_ an engaged man, but to tell you the truth, sometimes I can't even remember that much myself. My fiancé is pretty much all the way on the other side of the country, barely calls (when she does, she doesn't even bother to balance the conversation)… To me, it seems like an old friend has moved away and likes to check in with me every so often because this relationship is anything but stable.

I've put on the act that Sarah and I are on good terms to keep Maka from worrying. I think she's bought it. I've pretended to call Sarah, and sometimes, I actually did, but for the most part, I haven't called her at all. I pick up when she calls me and leave it at that. I've honestly been getting tired of her excuses.

Every time Sarah says she's about to return home, she always makes up some lame excuse about the production of the play. Even worse, every single time another picture is leaked to the media of Sarah and the male lead of the play, she wants to make up other lame excuses that don't even relate! It's irritating to even speak to her right now, so I try to avoid her as much as I can… but to let Maka know about our issues is basically begging for her sympathy. I don't want that. I'd rather just handle these things on my own. Once Sarah's starts making sense and telling the truth, then maybe we can fix this, but if I find out that she's messing around behind my back… then I'm callin' it quits.

Lately, Maka has been the only person besides Black*Star that can actually take my mind off of the stress of having to worry about my possibly unfaithful and untruthful fiancé. Spending time with someone as down to Earth as her really refreshes my mind… Though I worry that if things keep going the way they are, I won't be able to stop myself. I want to stick with what I got. I made this bed so I have to sleep in it. True, Sarah and I aren't even acting like our normal selves and the more she lies to me, the more out of love I fall, but I asked her to marry me for a reason. Black*Star and Kid is right. I knew the moment I proposed what I would be getting myself into.

 _Maka's my friend. That's as far as it goes._ I tell myself this all the time, but something inside me just doesn't want to listen to reason.

Soon after I finished cleaning up, Maka finally came out of the shower after her long acapella performance and walked into the living room to then make it to her room. I caught a glimpse of her freshly cleaned, cream skin, decorated with tiny water droplets wrapped with a white towel. The curves of her hourglass figure was easily able to see as the towel hugged her body tightly, leaving enough room for imagination. It was only a short glimpse, but I can still even remember her rosy cheeks, heated from the hot shower she had just taken with long, wet strands of blonde silk sticking to them as the water the silk was drenched with dripped onto the carpeted floor. _She could at least warn a guy! Jeez, here we go again!_ I hurried over to get a napkin from the kitchen to block my blood nose. You would think that somewhere along the way, I would've gotten used to seeing Maka half-naked… _well that came out wrong…_ Anyway, old habits die hard.

* * *

"I'm ready when you are, Soul!" Maka shouted from her bedroom. I sat up on the couch and maneuvered over to her door to knock on it. _Knock, knock._ "You can come in," she welcomed, opening the door for me. She peeked her head of the room and smiled up at me. I noticed that she had put on a little bit of makeup, but I didn't comment on it. I was used to seeing he with a face full of makeup, but on days like this, she went for a more subtle look which I thought looked _waaaay_ better on her. She was gorgeous enough as it is, why change anything?

I entered the room and eyed her up and down. She was wearing a pair of short, jean shorts, a pair of white chucks and a light sweatshirt. Maka's hair was tied into a high ponytail and the last touch she made to the look was a bit of chapstick for her lips. I watched patiently, leaning up against the doorframe. When she was satisfied with her appearance she turned to me and waited for me to say something. "Ready to go?" I asked, pulling the motorcycle keys out of my jean pocket. She nodded and walked past me, out of her room.

I locked the door behind us as we walked out of the apartment and Maka ran out to the parked motorcycle out front as I paced myself behind her. We both mounted the bike and as soon as her arms were secured around my midriff, I started up the bike and took my foot off the ground as we approached forward.

"Soul," Maka called, slicing through the rushing winds between us. "Yeah?" I asked. Maka snuggled me close and buried her face deeper into my back. She didn't say anything, so I just assumed that she only wanted to hear me say something. I smiled at the thought. _Just wanted to hear my voice, eh?_ Maka gets like this sometimes. I've noticed it more and more since we started hanging around each other more often. I don't really understand it, but it's not really something for me to understand. Only for me to accept. Speeding faster down the street, we both stayed quiet the entire ride, enjoying the feeling of freedom on the open road ahead of us.

* * *

"We're here, Tsubaki!" Maka called out, walking right into their unlocked door and taking her chucks off at the front entrance. I followed her lead and we both walked down the hall and into the kitchen where Tsubaki sat in a wooden chair, with her feet propped up on another. As soon as Tsubaki notices our presence, she called for Black*Star. "Oh, good. You both are here. Black*Star! Honey, Soul and Maka are here!" she called. Sooner than expected, Black*Star raced into the kitchen, energetically and stopped at his fiancé's side.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN! YOU SHOULD NEVER KEEP YOUR GOD AND GODDESS WAITING FOR YOU, COMMONER!" Black*Star shouted. I'm almost sure that the president could hear his voice from the way he shouts sometimes. I looked at Maka who had veins popping out of her head, clearly looking irritated enough. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and give them a shake to relax her mind. She rolled her eyes and gently nudged me in the ribs, stepping closer to Tsubaki.

"Let's leave the boys to themselves. I'd rather do the measurements alone," she insisted. Tsubaki nodded her head in agreement and left the two of us in the kitchen while she led Maka out into the living room. I saw them out, while Black*Star laid a heavy hand on my shoulder, causing me to flinch. As soon as the two girls left, I slapped Black*Star's hand away and glared at his stupid grin.

"Why do you always have to hit me, you jerk! Like, that hurts you idiot!" I scolded. Black*Star laughed in my face, holding his stomach. "Sorry, sorry. Anyway dude, what's up?" he asked. I cocked an eyebrow at him, not fully understanding his question. "What do you mean, 'what's up'?" I answered with a question. Black*Star rolled his eyes and slapped me hard on the same shoulder he laid his heavy ass hands on before. "What the fuck, Black*Star! Fucking STOP!" I yelled, peeling his hand off my shoulder which could very well be bruised. The hardheaded buffoon continued as if I never even shouted at him, which isn't so difficult for me to believe.

"You. Maka. Don't act stupid, Soul, I saw how you two were acting right then. If you think you can fool these eyes, you've got another thing comin'!" he explained. Realizing that he caught our little silent console, I rubbed the back of my neck with my hand and looked in another direction, avoiding his piercing stare. "O-Oh, that? That was nothing. But I will tell you that we've been getting a bit closer lately," I explained. He didn't look too convinced, so I continued my explanation. "Alright, well about a week ago, ***A/N: ABOUT A WEEK AGOOOOOO! (; …I am so sorry LAWL! BACK TO THE STORY, LAURNEA!*** Maka asked me to hang out with her. From there on out, we've started to spend more time together every single day before work hours and we just became closer or somethin', I dunno…" I said. I wasn't too sure how to explain it to Black*Star in a way he would understand, but I knew that no matter what I said, he would just take it the wrong way anyway.

Black*Star smirked evilly and nudged me in my bad shoulder, once again, shocking pain all around that region. This time, I only glared at Star. _One of these days, I'm gonna frickin' kill this dude…_ "Getting' all close and intimate, eh? Atta boy, Soul Eater!" he encouraged. _Of course he'd take it the wrong way…_ I shoved Star away from me and heaved an exhausted sigh. Arguing with the guy over it was completely unnecessary. I didn't have the energy for it anyway.

"It's not like that, you doofus. Whatever. Point is, Maka and I are cool. That's all you need to know," I said coldly. Mentioning her name so often in one conversation got me thinkin' what she could be doing with Tsubaki right now… _I wonder if the girls have ever talked about this stuff like Black*Star talks to me about it. I'm almost certain they have. They're girls after all!_ I looked over to the living room door where the girls had disappeared behind and wondered.

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

"And now, for the hips. After this we'll be all done!" Tsubaki said, wrapping the measuring the around my hips. I stayed still and silent, waiting for the signal to once again move freely. Tsubaki had measured my hips three times to get an exact measurement and after she was done, she wrote down the numbers on a piece of notepad paper and stood up tall and straight. "That's all, Maka! All done!" she notified. I heaved a large, relieved sigh and fell back on the couch, drained from standing so properly and taking little breaths for such a long time.

Tsubaki sat next to me and stared down at me as my eyes were closed and my body was slumped all over the couch. "Oh, c'mon, it wasn't that bad, was it?" she asked. I nodded silently and took a long deep breath to once again compose myself.

"You try holding your breath for that long! I'm sure you'd nearly pass out a well!" I said, puffing out my cheeks in protest. Tsubaki giggled and got back up to walk over to the kitchen door. She turned back to me and looked at me over her shoulder. "Want to join the boys?" she asked. I arose from the couch and stopped her from opening the door. "Wait," I whispered. I put my ear up to the door, suspicious of how silent they are and I heard a faint breathing sound close by the door. Scowling, I banged on the door and opened it to find a yelping Soul who is pushed on his back and to the ground by the impact of the opening door.

"Looks like we've got ourselves a couple of eavesdroppers," Tsubaki laughed, staring down at the two boys who sat, dumbfounded on the floor in front of us. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared down at Soul. "Soooooooul…" I howled, irritated. I grabbed a bible off of a shelf nearby as quickly as I could and smashed it over Soul's head. **"YOU PERVERT! MAKA-CHOP!"** _BANG!_ "Owwww~" he groaned as he fell back once again. His eyes were spinning like he was seeing stars, but instead of helping him back up, I turned to Black*Star and gave him the same treatment. **"MAKA-CHOP!"** _BANG!_ Unlike Soul, Black*Star blacked out and fell into unconsciousness.

I slammed the book down on Soul's stomach as he made an 'oof' sound and dusted my hands with pride. "Uhhh, Maka? Don't you think that was a little harsh?" Tsubaki timidly asked, concern and skepticism plastered all over her face. I shook my head immediately and said, "Nope. Now let's talk over coffee. I haven't had any this morning and I feel like if I don't I'm gonna have a head ache all day long." Tsubaki nodded and brewed some coffee for the two of us, ignoring the aching idiots on the floor who were now laying in their own puddles of blood, spewing from their heads.

* * *

"So, have you given some thought to what I said?" Tsubaki asked, bringing the mug of coffee to her lips. I finished my sip and answered with a furrow of the brow and a tilt of the head. "What do you mean? What did you say?" I asked. "You know! About you and Soul!" she said louder than necessary. I shushed her as quickly as I could and looked over at Soul to see if he had any reaction to what she was talking about. No reactions in the slightest. He just kept on groaning like a zombie, still pretty out of it. Regardless.

"Don't say it so loud! He's laying right there if you didn't remember!" I whispered. Tsubaki shook her head and smiled. "Soul's too out of it right now to understand what we're talking about. Just tell me," she insisted. I was hesitant at first, so I only decided to touch on the subject a little and elaborate later.

"Yeah, I thought about it. I've decided that you're right. Soul and I are friends, it'd be silly to act so distant when we're this close already." "Sooooo?" she urged. "So, now we've been hangin' out a lot more and talking…" I reeeeeally didn't want to go any further than that and thank the lord that Tsubaki was able to see that. She nodded and smiled knowingly and left the conversation at that, seeing how awkward I was getting on the subject.

Just at that moment, had it been luck or just a coincidence, Soul started moving and getting right back up as if on cue. He sat up sluggishly and rubbed his aching head with a poor expression. "Jeez, you guys. What's with all of you and hitting me? One of these days, I could get a concussion or somethin' ya' know," he complained, slowly rising up to his feet. He turned to us and had tears, threatening to trail down his face from the pain. _Guess I must've hit him pretty hard that time._

"Sorry, but that's what happens when you eavesdrop on other people's conversations," I snootily blamed. I took another sip of my coffee and stuck my nose up in the air. Soul brushed himself off and straightened his clothes, rolling his eyes. When he noticed Black*Star sleeping soundly on the floor, Soul began to shake him to wake him up. Eventually he did, but Black*Star was still pretty groggy when he sat up.

"So, Soul, how's you and Sarah? Did she say when she's coming back home?" Tsubaki asked. I know she didn't mean to pry, but it certainly sounded like she was trying to stir something up inside of him. Soul hadn't been paying attention, but when he heard Tsubaki address him and Sarah, he snapped back up to look at her. The look he gave her was full of anguish; almost like he was asking 'why would you bring her up at a time like this' with his eyes. He didn't answer right away, but nobody said anything more as he was trying to piece together the right words. I was wondering myself how they'd been doing, so I listened with considerable interest.

"Well, umm… Sarah and I are… better, I guess. As far as her coming back to Death City, I know nothing. She changes it up every time we talk about it. One day, she says she's coming back in two weeks, another day, she'll say she's coming back in a month," he explained. I uncomfortably moved around in my chair, looking down into my coffee. The thought of her return date approaching made me a little anxious. When Sarah returns, I'll have to find a place for myself. There's no way I'd be able to stay in that apartment. _For the sake of time, I should probably start searching for an apartment._

Tsubaki cleared her throat, breaking the silence and looked at me with a painful look on her face that only I noticed. I knew just what she was trying to say; her face said it all. _'I didn't know. I'm sorry.'_ I wasn't bothered by the fact that Soul and Sarah were keeping in touch. In fact, that's how they should be… still…

"I see. Maka, you'll need a place to stay, right?" Tsu asked me. I nodded quietly and spoke for the first time since the conversation started. "I was just thinking of looking at some places now. Better to be prepared since I'm sure she's coming home soon." I looked a Soul who for a short second, looked… dejected? I mean, I guess it'd be weird having to get up and leave after we've lived together for a while now, but it's inevitable. Might as well just get over it and be done with it. I won't lie, I'll miss living with him too. _I had a lot of fun living in that apartment. It's gonna be so weird living on my own again. Oh well._

"You don't have to worry about that, Maka. Don't feel like you have to leave so soon," Soul said, smirking at me comfortingly. I smiled up at him and stayed mute. Honestly, I want to stay with Soul a bit longer, but when push comes to shove, I'm really gonna have to be on my own. I have to make preparations so I'll have somewhere to go. Whether Soul agrees with it or not, I had planned to do it either way.

Tsubaki budged into the conversation and offered, "You know, Black*Star and I have some space for another person. If you need a place to spend the night for a couple nights, we can always lend you our guest room." I shook my head and declined. "Thanks Tsu, but I think you two have enough to deal with. You guys have a wedding and a baby to prepare for. It's out of the question." Tsubaki waved a hand and shook her head in protest. "No, no, don't you worry about that. We have no problem with it at all. Right, Black*Star?" she asked, the half-unconscious fool, sitting on the ground, staring hard at the tiled floor.

Tsubaki's fiancé looked up at her with a distant stare in his eyes, trying to focus solely her so he can understand what she's saying. The gentle soul shook her head and helped him into a chair whispering something along the lines of "what would you do without me?" into his ear. "Really, Tsubaki, I'll be fine," I assured my best friend. She relented, but she still said, "Alright, but if you really need a place to stay, let me be the first one you call, 'kay?" I nodded, finally giving into her offer. I knew she wouldn't back down anyway. That's just not the kind of person she is.

I noticed that Soul was particularly quiet on the subject. Rather than confront him about it, I changed the subject and moved right along. There was no reason to discuss the moving plans any further. As long as they got done at some point, I was content.

"So, Tsu, have you finally decided on a date for the wedding yet?" I asked. Tsubaki nodded. "Yeah, I've decided to go with May 29th like the planner suggested." I couldn't believe that Tsubaki was moving the wedding date up so much. May was only next month, it's not like it's not right around the corner. "Are you really sure you should expect everything to be done by next month? That seems pretty soon," I mentioned. Tsubaki looked up in thought and concentrated hard. "I thought the same thing, but my wedding planner said it's definitely doable if we stay on top of things," she explained, unsure of her words herself.

Soul shrugged his shoulders and sat back in his kitchen chair with an uncaring look. "Whatever happens, happens. As long as you two get married, the rest shouldn't really matter as much, don't 'ya think?" he added. He was right, but that only made me wonder what his wedding would be like. Would he mind having a big or small wedding? Would he mind marrying in a court opposed to a church? _Hmmm…_

"What would you prefer, Soul? You're getting married soon yourself, so what do you have in mind for your wedding?" Tsubaki asked as if she had read my mind. She didn't even look up at me, yet she could read me like a book; that's Tsubaki for 'ya. Soul scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably and looked away from us as he elaborated. "Well, actually, Sarah hasn't made any move on the wedding planning. I'm just as lost as you guys." That was a shock to me, considering how much he valued his engagement. He always stayed committed as if Sarah were already his wife, so to hear that Sarah hadn't even put in the effort herself was a bit… disappointing.

"I'm sure she's just busy with her acting career right now to manage any plans at the moment," Tsubaki assured. Soul looked down at his feet and shook his head, sadly. "That's what I'm afraid of… It's always the same story," he whispered the last bit, but I was able to make it out. 'Ya had to feel bad for the guy. He had a lot on his mind, yet he still fights for the feeling he has with Sarah. That's got to take a lot out of someone, but he never complains. Soul never bothers withering in sadness over things like this. I swear, a meteor could destroy his apartment and he still wouldn't shed a tear of hopelessness. I found it admirable, but at the same time, it was also pretty sad to see.

There was a long awkward pause until Black*Star huffed. "I say dump the chick. She's deadweight anyway!" he raised his voice. Tsubaki hit him over the head, veins popping out of her forehead and sighed. "I'm sorry, Soul. What he means to say is-." Before Tsubaki could finish her sentence, Soul cut her off, mid-sentence. "It's alright. You don't need'a apologize. Anyway, enough about me. If you want to go through with this wedding plan, then that's fine by us. Right, Maka?" he asked. He caught me off guard, so I jumped at the sound of my name. _I've been pretty quiet now that I think about it, haven't I?_

I nodded my head as quickly as I could to hide my absentmindedness. Tsubaki chuckled to herself, watching me panic over the sound of my name being called and I just sat there, watching as my cheeks flared red.

Not too long after, Soul and I took our leave and returned back home to laze around like we had originally planned. As soon as we walked into the apartment, Soul bee-lined straight for the kitchen to raid the fridge. It was around lunchtime, so of course, we were both hungry.

"Don't worry, I'll make some lunch. What do you wanna eat?" I asked, closing the fridge on him and leaning against the refrigerator door. He searched the cabinets to look for any food and took out a box of Hamburger Helper. "Why don't we have this? It's been a while since we've had it and it's not that hard to make," he suggested. I took the box out of his hands and looked for all the utensils and ingredients while he sat is lazy ass on the couch and put his feet up on the coffee table like he always did.

"Wanna watch a movie, blondie?" he shouted over the voices from the TV. "Yeah, pick one while I prepare the food, would'ya?" I said. This idle chat throughout the day was always a bit amusing to me. It was almost like we were siblings of some sort. It's almost laughable since we're so far from it at that.

I joined Soul on the couch and when I sat down, he took his usual place with his head laid on my lap. My hands naturally massaged his scalp and I put my feet up on the coffee table, crossed over. I don't really know how this became a thing, but it did. At first, it was a little awkward when he laid on my lap; I didn't really know how to feel about it, but somewhere along the way, it just became as natural as breathing. This is what I mean by 'getting closer'. Do you see roommates hanging out like this every day when they watch TV? Nope. Do you see best friends hanging out like this when they watch TV? Yup.

"What movie did you put on?" I asked when I returned from the kitchen. "I found 'Ghost Rider' on, so I just chose that one," he answered. I furrowed my brow and looked down at him. "The first one or the second one?" I asked, hoping he answered correctly. He snorted and smirked coolly. "Duh, the second one. 'Spirit of Vengeance' is way more epic." "True. That's good." I sighed in relief and watched Nicholas Cage on the screen. _So he likes 'Spirit of Vengeance' better? Huh… looks like we've got the same taste in movies._

We were able to watch up to the last car chase when we timer for the stove went off. Both of us got up at the sound of the beeping noise and instead of sitting at the table like he usually does, Soul followed me into the kitchen and watched as I turned the burner off and uncovered the skillet. I hadn't directly looked at him, but I could clearly see from the corner of my eye, a trail of drool falling from the side of his mouth like the animal he was. I gave the Hamburger Helper a stir and walked out of the kitchen to wait for the food to cool a bit.

Soul's impatient tendencies must've gotten the best of him because right when I walked out of his way, he grabbed for a bowl and scooped himself some steaming hot Hamburger Helper and took a bite. "Oww!" he yelped from the kitchen. I shook my head at his stupidity and shouted over the TV. "That's what you get for not letting it cool down." Soul emerged from the kitchen with his burnt tongue sticking out to cool with a glare directed towards me. "Well maybe you should've warned me," he blamed. I shrugged my shoulders. "Hey, you knew full well that the food literally _just_ came off of the stove. I would've thought that it went without saying," I retaliated. "Psh, whatever," he huffed and pouted. I rolled my eyes and giggled as he tried to fan his tongue from the burning sensation. _He never changes._

* * *

Late that night, after I finished all my numbers for the night, I returned to the bar in an exhausted state and awaited for Soul to come from the backroom of the bar. _Liz really had me pushin' it today. Guess that's what I get for slacking off though._

Before I collapsed and fell asleep right there on the countertop, Soul finally came out with sweat beading down the sides of his forehead and down his neck. Looked like he had been working pretty hard as well.

"Ugh, I'm exhausted. You all set back here?" I asked with my heavy eyelids burning. Soul blinked in response and turned to see if anyone else was around at the bar. He heaved an exasperated sigh and said apologetically, "I'm really sorry, Maka. I have to do inventory tonight, so I can't go yet. Want me to call a cab?" I shook my head, tiredly and said, "No, it's fine. I'll just catch a ride with Patty, don't stress it." Soul nodded and apologized once more before he headed into the backroom.

Right when I gathered my things to search for Patty, I got up, only to feel the presence of another person standing behind me. I turned around and was almost taken by surprise when I saw who it was.

"Why don't I give you a ride?" Hiro asked with calm green eyes and a gentle smirk to match. Though it was a tempting proposition, I kept my guard up and gave him the cold shoulder. I pointed my nose up and looked away from the stranger.

"Hmph. Why would I wanna go anywhere with you?" I sniped. He seemed unaffected by my barrier that I put up between us. Instead of saying anything else, he snatched my pocketbook and hung it high up in the air, above his head. When I noticed that my purse was dangling in his hands, I jumped up to take it back, but to no avail.

"Hey! Give that back!" I commanded. Hiro shook his finger at me and smiled even wider, walking away from me with my bag still in his possession. "If you ever want to see this bag alive again, you'll follow me," he teased looking sincere even though his words said otherwise. He began to walk out of the bar slow enough for me to follow his lead. _This guy… UGH!_ I looked around and didn't see any other valid options, so I took him up on his offer and let him take me 'home'.

I ran after Shimono who was standing at the side of a red convertible that looked just as expensive as a mansion. He leaned up against the car, awaiting my arrival and when he saw me out of the corner of his eye, he opened the passenger side door for me and held out my bag. I was ready to snatch my bag back and make a run for it, but if I had done that, I wouldn't have gotten a ride, so I decided to just play along for tonight only.

I took my bag back and hopped into the passenger seat, keeping quiet and making sure to not look him in the eyes again. After he jumped into the driver's seat, he started up the car with a deep hum and we were off on our way.

* * *

It wasn't until about 5 minutes of driving around with Hiro that I actually realized that he didn't even know where I lived, yet he was driving us around as if he knew exactly where he was going. It was suspicious, so I took note of it.

"Um, Hiro? Where do you think you're taking me?" I asked, shouting over the hums of the expensive sports car. Hiro smiled once more and kept his attention on the road as he spoke.

"Dinner. You haven't eaten yet, have you?" he asked. _Here we go…_ "I'm not going to dinner with you! Just take me home," I insisted… actually, no, more like demanded. Hiro still looked unaffected by my retaliations. "Oh, c'mon. Don't be so mean. We can go anywhere you want," he said. I shook my head and laughed at is plead. "Listen, why don't you call your girlfriend to go have dinner with you? I bet she'd be much happier if you went with her instead of another dancer that you barely even know." Hiro's eyes escaped the road and turned to look at me from the corner of his eye for a single second. "Girlfriend? I don't have a girlfriend," he said. I rolled my eyes at him and reminded him of Blair. "Oh yeah? I don't think Blair would be happy about you saying that to random girls." Hiro laughed. "She's just a friend! I see her as nothing more than that," he assured. I wasn't buyin' it. "Psh, yeah because friends make out with each other and nibble on each other's ear," I pouted. _I bet I sound like a big baby right now. He needs to hear my thoughts though._

"That's all in the past. I'll admit that I used to have a thing for her, but I'm done with her. She may not be done with me, but I am, so how's about we get some grub and talk a bit? You interest me," he said. I couldn't tell whether he was feeding my utter bullshit or if he was actually telling the truth, but what I _did_ know was that he peaked my curiousity. Before my words could deny him, my head began to nod, accepting his invitation. He turned back to the road and we zipped down the street.

* * *

We were seated in a restaurant, unfamiliar to me. He had us seated in an isolated corner of the restaurant in a booth that was big enough to fit a party of ten. I didn't see why he needed all the space if he was gonna sit directly next to me, but questioning a millionaire about how he spends his money is like questioning a wall as to why it's its color. That being said, I refrained from asking anything from Hiro and I sat quietly next to him, looking over the menu to see what they had to offer.

Eventually, I put down my menu and decided to just go with something simple that would be hard to mess up, so I wouldn't end up disappointed. I turned to Hiro who had been staring at me while his arm perked up his head on his fist. I cocked an eyebrow at his creepy smile that refused to wipe away from his face.

"What?" I asked, confused as to what he was doing, staring at me like that. Hiro shook his head and began to speak with his soft, soothing song of a voice. "Nothing. You're just so beautiful," he answered. I snapped my head in another direction to avoid his gaze with cheeks burning as hot as the sun. "Pft. How many girls have you told that to?" I snapped. Hiro cocked his eyebrow, baffled. "Why're you so hung up on the girls I've talked to? You jealous?" he teased. I didn't answer, for I wasn't even really sure. Why did I even care? It's not like I feel something for the guy. I don't even know him! I doubt it's jealousy… more like, irritation. Yeah, it irritates me when I'm talking to a man, but his crazy ex-girlfriends get in the way of me having a normal conversation. If I can help it, I'd LOVE to avoid a crazy ex-girlfriend and this guy, I'm sure in swarming with 'em.

"You wish," I retorted. Hiro slowly blinked and chuckled a bit. "Yeah, I do." I looked at him when he said this. _What the heck is this guy talking about? I swear, he thinks he's so damn special…_ I said nothing in response. There was no valid reason to drag out a pointless argument, so I avoided it as best I could for the whole night.

In the middle of our conversation, a waitress came over and took our orders and brought our drinks. I had ordered a strawberry milkshake for the night. _Drinking alcohol with this man might not be the smartest idea, so I should play it safe for the night._ As for Hiro, he ordered a beer just to play it safely himself. Said something about needing a drink to hold a conversation. The waitress made off with our orders and left us be once more.

"So, Maka, was it?" he asked. I rolled my eyes at his attempt to play it cool and nodded slightly. "What's your story, Maka?" I took another light sip of my milkshake and folded my hands together on top of the table. I looked him in the eyes and said, "You already know what you need to know about me, I'm sure. I'm just an ordinary girl from New York who moved back to her birthplace. Not much to tell." "That's not what I meant. I know what I _need_ to know, but I'm talking about what I _don't_ know. Tell me something that nobody else knows," he imposed further. I wagged my finger at him. "That information is top secret to you. It seems unfair for you to know the basics about me and for me to know next to nothing about you. You first," I insisted.

Hiro cleared his throat and took one last swig of his drink before finally looking at me seriously for the first time all night. "How about this? Let's go up to the roof. I'm sure the waitress won't miss us for a minute or two," he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me with him before I could deny him. _He's persistent, I'll give him that…_

And so we did. We went up to the roof of the tall restaurant and looked over the city. The city was a lot bigger than I had taken it for, but nonetheless… This was my home. It wasn't as big as New York, but I still thought it was ten times greater. _I never wanna leave this place._

"Look over the city. What do you see?" he asked, leaning over the railing and looking outward. I gave the city another look but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. "I see Death City, what else?" I asked. Hiro nodded with another smirk returning to his serious face. "Exactly. I own all of this," he said. I cocked an eyebrow, knowing that he wasn't telling the full truth. "Oh, really? _You_ own Death City?" I asked in a disbelieving tone, letting him know that I knew he was feeding me bullshit. He chuckled to himself and looked outward once more. "Haha, okay, maybe I don't know Death City, but I do own the airways. I like my views, so I made sure that nothing exceeded the height limit of my own penthouse. You see that huge building just in front of us?" he pointed out. I squinted my eyes to look at the tall building in the middle of the city and then turned to Hiro, giving him the evil eye.

"Oh yeah? Well what about the academy up on that hill over there?" I pointed out. The academy was the tallest building in the whole entire city and it had to have been twice as big as his precious penthouse. Hiro didn't even blink when I asked him that question.

Snootily, he answered with, "It's part of the view." I should've guessed he would answer my question selfishly. I scoffed at him and looked back to the view. "Isn't that a bit selfish?" I mumbled. Hiro shrugged his shoulders. "I wanted a view, so I got a view. That's all there is to it. When I want something, I'll get it, no matter what the price," he explained. I guess that was something to admire. Mama always said that you should never stop trying to get where you wanna be. The only difference is that I'm still trying, whereas Hiro has already made it. It's nothing to be ashamed of I guess.

"You're right," I whispered. Hiro looked at me wondrously. "What do you mean?" he asked. I searched for his eyes in the corner of my own and smirked just slightly enough for him to see. "I can't exactly be mad at you for getting what you want on your own. Sure, maybe I think it's a bit much, but who am I to judge?" I clarified. It was true. Every word. _Maybe I shouldn't judge him so much. We live much different lives anyway, so why bother trying to understand? Maybe I should give him a chance… besides, he doesn't seem all that bad compared to how Tsu and Soul made him out to be. Maybe…_

 **A/N:** **I'd like to individually apologize to each and every one of my viewers for the recent error in my last update. Hopefully this new update of Chapter 10 won't have any serious issues like before. Please, if there is anything wrong with my of the Chapters, please notify me IMMEDIATELY. I hope you all can forgive my mistake ); Anyway, I just want to remind you all that a lemon will soon be coming out in the next few chapters, so keep an eye out for that! Alright, again, tell me if any other issues come up and I'll try to fix them the best I can. I'll see you guys soon so stay beautiful and live happily! (: ;***


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** **Here we go, Chapter Eleven! Who'da thought I'd get this out as early as two days later?! This is perfect timing I think, don't you agree? Alright, perfect! Just few more chapters away from the lemon (; I know you guys are just DYING to get to it, haha (you naughty kids (; ) I'll get right to it then! DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER, BURLESQUE OR ANY OF THE SONGS MENTIONED IN THIS CHAPTER! *Today, we only have music contained from the Burlesque movie, so I'm sorry if you wanted more of my own personal favorites ); LAWL!* With that, let's get on with Chapter 11! Happy reading! (:**

 _CHAPTER ELEVEN:_

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

The next morning, I was woken up by the sunlight that invaded my room through my unshaded windows. My eyes were burning from the brightness, so I rubbed my eyes harshly and sat up in bed to avoid the light. When I took the back of my hand away from my eye, I looked to the door, only to be startled by the sight of Soul staring seriously down at me as he leaned on the door frame.

I jumped out of my skin and yelped. "Soul, what the hell! Are you trying to give me a freakin' heart attack?!" I yelled at my unconcerned roommate. He ignored my question and narrowed his eyes a little more. He looked pretty serious and I also noticed that he had bags under his eyes. _Did he wait up for me last night?_ "Soul?" I called at his silence as he continued to stare.

After a minute or so, he finally parted his lips and began to murmur something that I almost couldn't make out. "What was that? I can't hear you," I said. Soul crossed his arms and pushed himself up off of the door frame. "I said, 'Where did you go last night?'" he repeated, sounding a bit irritated. _I wonder what's up with him._ I cleared my throat and answered a bit hesitantly. "I was out… With Hiro." Soul narrowed his eyes even more at this. "Doing what?" he asked, sounding like a father. "Umm… Well, when I was going to find Patty to catch a ride with her, he offered me a ride and I took it," I explained in half-truth. "Maka, I came home before you. Where did you two go?" he almost demanded to know. He didn't look very amused in the slightest, so I just thought it would be best not to hide it from him. What does it matter anyway? "We went out to a restaurant and talked a bit. Guess we lost track of time." Soul slowly blinked and nodded his head, turning away from me and walking out of the room like nothing happened.

 _Guess he didn't care._ I slowly got up out of bed and dressed myself, getting ready for the day. I pulled my hair up in a ponytail and prepared to get breakfast ready when I walked out of my room, but when I got to the kitchen, I saw breakfast, sitting there on the counter, already finished and ready to eat. I called out to Soul, who was laying on the couch with one foot up on the couch and the other, on the floor with his right arm, laying over his tired eyes. "Soul, you cooked breakfast today?" I asked. "No, Lord Death did," he answered sarcastically. I gave him a playfully irritated look, which he clearly sensed, by the look of that goofy, toothy grin of his. "I'm kidding. Yeah, I made it," he answered. Though he had a smile on his face, he still sounded a bit aggravated by something. _I wonder what he's so mad about._

I grabbed a plate and filled it up with eggs, sausage, bacon and some buttered toast. "Aren't you gonna eat?" I called out to Soul. He shook his head. "Already ate," he answers plainly. Something was definitely up, but before I could ask what his problem is, his cellphone in his pocket begins to ring. He looks at it and I can tell from the look on his face that it's Sarah. His irritated face turns into one that's a bit more tolerant and he immediately answers the phone, not even bothering to go into his room to talk like he usually does.

"Hey babe," he answers sweetly. He covers his eyes with his right arm again as he listens to whatever she says over the phone. I can't really hear what she's saying, but she sounds pretty happy over the phone. What girl wouldn't be when their loved one answers the phone like that? I can only hear Soul's responses to whatever she's saying, but I try my best not to pry.

"Yeah, I saw it. What's goin' on over there with that guy? It seems like you two have been spendin' an awful lot of time together," Soul points out. Sarah sounds defensive over the phone when he says this, but he doesn't back down. "What do you expect me to think, Sarah? Almost every single week has been the same thing," he retorts. Again, Sarah sounds defensive and almost insulted, which only makes her look more suspicious. "Well, why are you gettin' mad at me, huh? You don't see me going out with another girl to restaurants and hangin' out in hotel rooms at 5am. If there's something-." Sarah cuts him off with a shout. Things are starting to get pretty heated between the couple and I start to feel uncomfortable by the things he's saying to her.

 _'_ _You don't see me going to restaurants with another girl and hangin' out at 5am' he says. But that's what we do…_ Soul and I would hang out until early in the morning since we worked late and we would eat dinner at restaurants every now and then. _Am I getting in the way of their relationship? Surely, if she were to find out about me and Soul's friendship, she'd be pissed. I know I would… Is this wrong?_ Thinking all these things make me result to thinking that maybe it'd be best for me to just lay low for now. Back off a bit… It's not fair for me to be spending so much quality time with a soon-to-be married man. It's not fair to him and it's not fair to her either.

"That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that if there's something that I should know about, then you need to tell me right now. I don't need to hear about my fiancé going off with other guys in a whole other state behind my back," he snapped. He didn't raise his voice, but he sounded pretty on edge with Sarah at this point. I finished up the rest of the breakfast and went straight to washing the dirty dishes in the sink. I hoped that the running of the water would block out their conversation, but I could still hear Soul as clear as day.

"I know, babe. Me too…" Soul says in a softer voice that I've never heard him talk in before. I felt a bit discouraged at that little fact. _I guess there is a side to him that I've never seen before, though that's only to be expected… So why do I feel so down?_ Again, I tried to ignore my petty, irrelevant feelings and continued doing what I had to do. Soul sat up on the couch and leaned over his knees, resting his elbows atop them. "Alright, just go back to work for today and we'll talk later tonight, 'kay? … 'Kay, bye. Love you, too," he says before hanging up as quickly as he can. After he hung up, he heaved the biggest and most frustrated sigh, letting out all of his annoying emotions.

After sitting there for a few seconds, listening to nothing but the running water, he looks up at me and stands up from the couch to come up beside me, staring down at me, washing the dishes in the sink. "Got any plans for today?" he asked as if his conversation with Sarah hadn't even happened. I furrowed my brow to myself for a second. _Does he even remember his own words? Doesn't he realize that this is no longer okay? Just play it cool, Maka._

"Umm, well actually, I have to go in to work in a little bit to meet up with Liz and Kid. Said they wanted to talk to me about a new number to confirm it with me before they tell the other dancers," I lied. I didn't have to see Liz, but seeing that I had no other valid excuses to use, I lied to get away from Soul and the apartment without him trying to tag along. Soul looked a little disappointed when I told him this, but then he looked accepting and offered, "Do you need me to give you a ride?" I shook my head and shut off the sink after I washed to last dish. "No, it's fine. I kinda want to clear my head and walk around a bit. It has been a long time since I've walked to work anyway," I laughed as I scratched the back of my head nervously. I hoped that he'd buy it, but I could clearly see that he wasn't really feelin' my excuses today, or any for that matter.

"Oh, 'kay… I'll just call up Black*Star in that case," he said, walking back to the couch and laid down back in the same position that he was originally in. I felt a little bad for lying to Soul, but I had to put an end to this. There was no way that we could continue as we have. Not after all that's been going on. I did feel terrible, though.

I watched Soul plop back down on the couch and when he finally laid there, I walked over to him timidly and stood over him. I knew that he sensed my presence, but he didn't move an inch. I sat aside him and looked down at him and hesitated a bit before I could do anything. _I'm sorry I have to do this to you, Soul._ I bent over him and kissed his faced up wrist and left the room after that. I went straight to my room to gather my necessities and left the apartment, not even looking back at Soul as his eyes followed me out of the apartment. _I really am sorry, but this is where it ends. This is what's best for you and for me._

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

Maka left as soon as she kissed my wrist as if nothing at all had happened. She didn't even say goodbye or 'Have a nice day' like she usually would, so I knew for sure that something was up. _And what was up with that kiss?! What does it mean?!_ I swear, this woman will one day be the death of me. She always sent mixed messages that drove me up the wall. I felt a rush of happiness when I felt her soft lips on my skin, but it quickly died when I watched her leave. It was almost like she was kissing me goodbye. _Ugh! I need to call Black*Star before I lose my damn mind over this chick!_

I did just that and texted Black*Star to come to my place ASAP. He texted right back and said he'd be over in a few, but not before he ended his text with his signature and a message saying how great he is to come to his peasants when they need him most. I rolled my eyes and then rolled off the couch to get ready for the day. I threw on some clothes, messed with my hair a little and called it a day after throwing my cell back on my bed, not even thinking twice about calling anyone else today.

I was done picking up any phone calls from Sarah after what she had just told me over the phone. She was spouting nonsense talking about how the rumors are all misunderstandings and how I should have more faith in my fiancé. Yeah, like she deserves it! Almost every week, a new leaked picture comes out of her and her coworker, sneaking around late at night to hotel rooms and going out on romantic dates. Yeah, 'have some faith in me' she says… Like that's even a thing to consider! What's even more unbelievable is that she actually _defended_ the guy. _Hmph, if you wanna defend him and go against your own fiancé, then why not just leave me for him. Save us both the heartache. I won't be missin' much, really. It's not like she's ever here, anyway._

I caught myself in the middle of these disgusting thoughts about my fiancé and how lowly I was beginning to think of her. It wasn't like me to badmouth Sarah, even in my own thoughts. I guess I was just beginning to get tired of her lies and excuses. There was no need for it, really. She should've trusted me a little more to just tell me the truth instead of having me sit all alone on the other side of the country, banging my head against ever wall, tryin' to figure out what in the hell is going on over there.

At least I'm not completely alone, I guess. I do have Maka here to keep me company, which is more than I can ask for. She's never let me down, nor do I ever expect her to let me down. She's never given me a reason to not trust her, unlike Sarah. Being around Maka has been a fresh breath of air ever since she's come around. _Too bad I wasn't able to hang out with her today, but oh well. Tomorrow's another day. I can't blame her for working hard._ Thinking about Maka brought that kiss back into thought, which also made me want to bang my head against a wall. _What the hell, Maka! Don't just go kissin' a guy's wrist and not say anything else before you leave! What the hell do you expect me to think, you dunce!_

I harshly gripped my white strands of hair and scrunched my face up in confusion and frustration. As I was giving myself a headache, trying to decode Maka's behavior, I hear an obnoxiously loud bang from the other side of my door. **BANG. BANG. BANG. "OPEN UP THIS DOOR! YOUR GOD HAS ARRIVED! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"** Black*Star shouted from the other side of the door. His cackle was giving me an even bigger headache, leading to veins popping out of my damn forehead. _Black*Star, you are so lucky that Maka left for the day…_

I answered the door and let the fool in my apartment as quickly as I could to get him out of the hallway, where a lot of my neighbors started cursing at him and scolding him. "Just get inside, you big idiot. I have to talk to you about something," I said, rubbing the side of my temples in irritation. I pulled him in by the arm and threw him over the couch to sit before slamming the door shut and locking it.

"HEY! Don't go throwin' me around like a ragdoll! Have some respect-!" I clamped his mouth shut with my hands and glared him in the eyes. "Dude, Sarah called earlier," I blurted out. I unclamped his mouth to permit him to speak and he only stare at me with confusion. "Alright, so what?" he asked, quieter now. I sighed deeply and continued explaining. "Alright, well I was laying on the couch while Maka was eating breakfast and then Sarah called. She wanted to talk about those rumors and leaked photos of her and that dude from her play," I explained further. "Oh yeah, that male lead guy, right?" Black*Star asked for clarification. I nodded and began speaking again. "Yeah, that guy. She was sayin' stuff about how she and the guy got nothin' goin' on together and how I should trust her a little more to know that she would never do anything inappropriate with another guy behind my back. You know, just defending him and all." "Dude, you don't actually believe her, do you? I mean, c'mon, the girl is sneaking off the hotel rooms with the guy and you expect nothing to go down? That doesn't add up," Black*Star jusitified. He had a point. "No, I don't believe her. She's gotta come up with something better than that to convince me. But now she's tryin' to pin this on me," I said. Black*star cocked an eyebrow. "What? You mean, she's trying to say that you're the one who's probably cheating on her? Where does that even come from?" he asked. "That's what I said! She looks pretty guilty to me," I said. Black*Star rolls his eyes and cracks his knuckles. "So now what? You gonna dump her and call the wedding off?" he asked. I shook my head, though I was getting to that point of just leaving her. "I gave her one last chance to explain herself tonight. If she feeds me more bullshit, then I'm done with her," I said.

Black*Star glared at me and bopped me on the head. "What was that for?!" I shouted. "To knock some damn sense into that useless brain of yours! Can't you already tell that the woman is cheating on you?! Isn't that enough?! Just leave the damn woman, there's no reason for you to stick around with her!" he yelled. Black*Star seemed more pissed than I was. I knew that staying with Sarah was a stupid move, but I just… I don't know.

"I just don't know, Black*Star. You know that Maka was out with Hiro all night last night?" I said. Black*Star's eyes widened. "Woah, wait a minute, for how long?" he asked. I shrugged my shoulders and tried to remember off of the top of my head. "I don't know, probably around 2am. She came in pretty late and she even woke up late this morning. Usually she wakes up before me and cooks breakfast, but I was able to get up, make breakfast and she still hadn't woken up," I said. I won't deny that with everything that's been going on, I was so freakin' worried. Maka's not exactly a nobody. She's an infamous burlesque dancer, singer, not to mention that she's got a bangin' body, pretty face and an innocent little personality to top it off. Any guy could've just snatched her up at any moment had someone not have been there with her. I was worried as hell that I couldn't even sleep last night until she got back.

"Do you know if anything went down?" he asked. I wish I had, but I knew nothing other than what she told me that morning. I could've assumed that something went down last night between the two of them, but Maka was too innocent to just give it up to someone like him in a day or two. "Nah, I don't. Besides, Maka's not that type of girl," I said. Black*Star patted me on the back and looked at the ground. "Dude, I wouldn't be so quick to assume that if I were you. The girl's got some talent up on that stage. You can't seriously believe that the girl hasn't gotten experience," he pointed out. He's got a very good point, but that didn't mean that she'd give herself to a guy like him in a day. For all I know, she could've given it to a guy she really loved and had known for a long time. _Wait, why am I thinking about this?_

I shook my head of my prying thoughts and looked back at Black*Star. "True, but still. With Hiro Shimono? I doubt she'd stoop that low. If I know anything about Maka, she aims high. Higher than even Hiro can reach," I said. I almost didn't believe my own words. When it comes to Maka in that department, I'm walkin' in the dark. I know nothing about her past boyfriends or what she did with them. Who was I to talk?

"I don't know, bro. I won't assume anything about Maka, but what I know is that everyone's tryin' to get in her pants, including Hiro. If you don't keep an eye on her, Hiro's gonna steal your girl right from under your nose in a second. Don't be so trusting when it comes to him, man, he's not one to be trusted," Black*Star forewarned. He was makin' some pretty good points, which surprised me since he usually doesn't take stuff seriously in general. I heeded his warning nonetheless.

"Gotcha. Speaking of Maka, something else happened today too," I started. "Now what?" Black*Star spat. "She told me she couldn't hang with me today, 'cause she has to go into work, so I was layin' on the couch and all of a sudden, she comes and sits next to me and kisses my wrist," I explained. Black*Star's eyes widened again and his smile did as well. He slapped me on the back, making me flinch and he cackled again. "That's my boy! Then what happened?" he asked with anticipation. I shook my head and looked at the ground before me. "She left. She went into her room, grabbed her purse and left for work," I said, dejectedly. Black*Star's smile faded at this. "Aww, man! You should've went after her!" he whined. "What good would that've done? I don't even know why she kissed me in the first place, but it was almost like she was saying… goodbye," I said, unwillingly admitting to myself, the possibility of her saying goodbye. "Why would she say that? Did something happen between you two?" he asked.

I tried to think of anything that would've made her upset, but I couldn't think of anything… except… "Well, she did hear my conversation with Sarah earlier," I said. "So what? Did you say anything that would've upset her?" he asked, but again, I couldn't think of anything. I tried running the conversation through my head, but nothing really popped out at me. _Nothing really pertained to her… I did say that I'm not hangin' around other girls behind her back, but Maka's already aware that we are… Maybe she thinks it's wrong. But we're only friends… There's no real reason for me not to hang out with Maka. I mean, I hang out with Tsubaki and Sarah doesn't seem to mind. How's that any different from Maka?_ No matter how many times I played it through my head, there's nothing that stands out to me. Maybe it was only my imagination then…

"Nothing. Maybe it's only my imagination after all," I said. Black*Star nods in agreement. "Has to be, man. Anyway, enough of this talk. It's only gonna upset you if you think too hard about it. Just take it as a friendly gesture for now," Black*Star recommends. "Yeah… a friendly gesture… it had to be that," I murmured to myself before Black*Star put me in a headlock and ruffled my hair, playfully. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Soul Eater! **YOU'RE GOD IS FINALLY IN YOUR PRESENCE SO LIGHTEN UP! HAHAHAHAHA!** " he cackles once more. I punch him in the stomach, making him release me and laugh. "Whatever, loser. Let's do something today. I'm bored and got nothin' to do until later tonight," I said. I helped Black*Star up on his feet and start to feel as if a weight has lifted off my shoulder from telling someone about what went down today.

I walked around Death City to find something to do to keep me out of the apartment until it was show time. I had already been to the library tons of times this week so I had nothing there to do. I didn't even have my library books that I need to return with me and I couldn't go back home, so forget that. I already had a cup of coffee and some food, so going to a restaurant or a coffee shop was out of the question as well.

"Damnit, what is there to do?!" I shouted. Some bystanders on the street had turned to me, looking like I was an escaped asylum inmate or something and I only laughed nervously, waving at them so they could go about their business. _Hmm… Maybe, I could call Tsu or something, but didn't Soul say he was calling Black*Star to hang with him? What if he's there?_ Avoiding Soul was a lot harder than I thought. Especially after that kiss on the wrist that I gave him. I _definitely_ had to avoid him after that.

"I'll just go to the club. Maybe Liz will have something for me to do," I decided to myself, making sure to only hush it to myself instead of blurting it out like a madwoman. I turned the corner and headed to the club as I told Soul I would do. _At least I won't be lying to him if I do._

When the burlesque club came into view, I saw a few cars parked outside and I heard the faint sound of the band practicing inside. _Great. They're here._ I walked inside the club and the music that was only faintly heard before, is now booming at my eardrums. I, however, was used to this sound, so it didn't bother me at all. I waltzed right into the club, only to find it empty with only the band playing on their little part of the stage on the far left. They all look up at me when I walk in the door and they wave at me with smiles, greeting me a good morning.

"Hey boys, good morning. Is Liz around anywhere?" I asked. They nodded and pointed upstairs to her office. "Thank you," I said, curtsying for them and going off to find Liz. I went upstairs and almost barged in without permission again, but I thought it would be best to knock first when entering my boss' office. KNOCK. KNOCK. "Come in," Liz's voice permitted from the other side of the door. I entered in quietly and closed the door behind me.

"Oh, it's you, Maka. What's up?" she asked with a confused smile on her face. I shook my head and sat in a chair in front of her desk. "Nothin' really. Just wanted to get out of the house today and I had nothing to do so I thought I'd stop by," I explained. She nodded knowingly and looked at me sincerely. "Well that's fine. I was meaning to have you try on your costume today to see if it all fit in the right places. We've had a lot of problems with the new fabric lately and we don't want our star to mess up because of sewing malfunctions," she laughed a little. I smiled and nodded my head. "I'd be happy to do it now if you want me to," I said. She nodded and stood from behind her desk to lead me to the dressing room.

I followed her to the dressing room and saw a lone clothing rack in the middle of the floor, filled with similar costumes and one different costume for the lead, which was for me. She pulled the hanger from the rack and handed it to me. "This is for tonight's number. You guys are going up first, so it's a good thing you came in early," she said. I took the costume and Liz left the dressing room to give me some privacy. I began undressing and carefully slid on the black fishnet tights, which fit almost too perfectly and then I carefully stepped into the black and white leotard with groping hand prints sewn on the breast area and on the butt area. The leotard showed off my hourglass figure which I have always loved and it hugged my breasts, pushing them up, and making them look even bigger than necessary. Also, with my costume, there was a fedora and two long gloves that reached up past my elbow and on the bottom of the rack was my knee-high laced up black combat boots that tied everything else together.

I checked myself into the mirror and straightened myself up. When I deemed myself presentable and comfortable, I called out to Liz and told her to come back in. She did so. She eyed me all around and walked around me in a circle to see me from every viewpoint. "It looks okay to me. We've got the band here, so would you want to practice the number in the costume to see if it'll withstand for the whole performance?" she offered. I nodded my head and she left to prepare the stage.

I walked out on the stage when I was ready and sat at the vanity in front of me and looked into the mirror and started to sing

* * *

The vanities were all lined up on stage and as the curtain rose for everyone to see, the club was pitch black until the spotlight only hit me and my vanity in the front and center. The band began to play little by little as the song started and I let everything go when my cue was up.

 _It's a cold and crazy world that's raging outside_

 _Well baby, me and all my girls are bringing on the fire_

 _Show a little leg, got to shimmy your chest_

 _It's a life, it's a style, it's a need, it's burlesque_

Each ladies spotlight's hit them when I sang each line and we all turned around the crowd in synchronization all in a different pose as we snapped our fingers to the beat of the music.

 _E-X-P-R-E-S-S_

 _Love, sex, ladies, no regrets_

 _E-X-P-R-E-S-S_

 _Love, sex, ladies, no regrets_

We all got up from our chairs and I threw my fedora backstage into one of the guys working the stage from behind the scene, messing with my overly teased hair and singing to the ultimate extent.

 _Been holding back for quite some time_

 _And finally the moment's right_

 _I love to make the people stare_

 _They know I got that certain savoir-faire_

 _Fasten up, can you imagine what would happen_

 _If I let you close enough to touch?_

 _Step into the fantasy, you'll never wanna leave_

 _Baby, that's guaranteed, why?_

The backup dancers are all behind me, chair dancing as the lights flash on the stage in an exciting fashion. I feel pretty good and energized up on stage, feeling something I had never felt before, I just let everything go that night.

 _It's a passion and emotion_

 _It's a fashion, burlesque_

 _It'll move you, going through you_

 _So do what I do, burlesque_

 _All ladies coming to flaunt it_

 _Boys, throw it up if you want it_

 _Can you feel me, can you feel it?_

 _It's burlesque, burlesque, burlesque_

Pointed out to the crowd and scanned the area. When I saw Hiro in his regular booth, I smiled and worked even harder up on that stage. _I'll show him…_

 _I tease 'em 'til they're on the edge_

 _They screaming more for more and more they beg_

 _I know it's me they come to see_

 _My pleasure brings them to their knees_

 _Fasten up, can you imagine what would happen_

 _If I let you close enough to touch?_

 _Step into the fantasy, you'll never wanna leave_

 _Baby, that's guaranteed, why?_

 _It's a passion and emotion_

 _It's a fashion, burlesque_

 _It'll move you, going through you_

 _So do what I do, burlesque_

 _All ladies coming to flaunt it_

 _Boys, throw it up if you want it_

 _Can you feel me, can you feel it?_

 _It's burlesque, burlesque, burlesque_

I played with the laces of my boots and ran a hand up my fishnet tights to tease the audience, which obviously worked. I looked back to Hiro who looked exceptionally pleased and I winked at him. I found myself looking over at Soul at the bar who looked a little… different tonight. He looked a little disappointed or upset even though he didn't take his eyes off of the stage either. It was weird, but I couldn't mess up on stage, so I put my focus back onto the last few parts of the dance before worrying about anything else.

 _Burlesque, burlesque, burlesque, burlesque_

 _It's a passion and emotion_

 _It's a fashion, burlesque_

 _It'll move you, going through you_

 _So do what I do, burlesque_

 _All ladies coming to flaunt it_

 _Boys, throw it up if you want it_

 _Can you feel me, can you feel it?_

 _It's burlesque, burlesque, burlesque_

 _Burlesque, burlesque, burlesque, burlesque_

When the performance ended, there was a standing ovation and the ladies all bowed along with me before we ushered off of the stage and backstage and get out of our costumes. Liz was standing right behind the stage when I walked off and she congratulated me on a job well done.

"Looks like everything worked out fine. Thanks for coming in earlier to help out. We should all be getting out early because of you. I owe you, alright?" she says and I nodded in response, before I hurried back to the dressing room.

On my vanity's table was a bouquet of roses with a message in the middle and there was a box that sat next to it. It hadn't been there before the show, so I was curious as to who it could've been from. Patty came right over when I spotted them and she beamed with a smile. "Your special admirer told me to put these at your desk so you could get them after the show. Open it up!" she exclaimed. A small group of girls gathered around me to see what all the fuss was about. I took the note out of the bouquet of roses first and read the note. "To the best view in Death City," I read aloud. From that note, I knew it was Hiro that sent these. Because of this, I was almost afraid to open the box to see what was inside.

I hesitantly unwrapped the huge red bow on top of the box and opened the box with shaking hands. When I took a peek at what was inside, I saw this gorgeous light pink diamond encrusted Louis Vuitton, 6-inch heels that were absolutely breath-taking. I took one out and all the girls gasped in awe. Blair then pushes through the crowd and sees the heels. She snatched away the note and asked, "What filthy rich snob did you sleep with this time?" she asked. I didn't even say anything because the note said it all. When she read the note, I could tell that she knew who wrote this as well and she glared at me, defeated. I shrugged my shoulders at her and rolled my eyes back to the heels.

I put everything in a duffel bag and ran down to the crowd before I could even change. I found Hiro in the regular booth that's reserved especially for him and as soon as he sees me, a huge grin spreads across his face. "There's my girl… I thought you'd get down here sooner," he says. I smiled and rolled my eyes. "I got caught up backstage. You're really too sweet for those little presents backstage," I said. He shrugged his shoulders and pulled me into the booth with him. "Gorgeous girls get gorgeous things, Maka. You were great up there," he complimented. I blushed and hid my face from him in embarrassment. _A girl could get used to a little pampering now and then._

"Hey, how about this. You and those shoes can go out with me this Friday to another dinner, just you and me. How's that sound?" he asked me out. I nodded and smiled even wider. He smiled and pulled me in under his arm, cuddling me. The rest of the night was spent with him and I completely forgot about talking to Soul after the show. I figured I'd just talk to him when I get home tonight. _He'll be fine for a few more hours, right? What's the worst that could happen?_

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

I waited at the bar for Maka so she could talk to me after her show, but she never showed. After a few minutes of waiting, I hesitantly looked over at Hiro's booth to see if she was anywhere to be found and sure enough, there she is, cuddling with him under his arm. I gritted my teeth at the sight of pure Maka in the hands of Hiro, the womanizing real estate manager that knows no boundaries. Maka looked surprisingly pleased and happy underneath his arm like that which pissed me off even more.

 _She's never looked like that before. Ever. Why is she so happy with that guy?! He's just a punk that needs to be taught a lesson…_

Before I noticed anybody's presence, Kid came up to the bar and sat beside me, eyeing Hiro and Maka as I was. "I told you, man… Opportunities like this only come once in a lifetime. Once it's gone, you're not getting it back. I warned you, Soul," Kid said, rubbing it in my face. I was pissed it say that he really did call this one. He was completely right. Opportunities like this really do only come once in a lifetime. She was right in my grasp the whole entire time too, which sucks the most…

 _How could I leave Sarah now? How could I go off on my own? How can I even start all over again? This just messes up everything… DAMN THAT HIRO!_

* * *

Later at home, I ended up arriving before Maka, but this time, she only came an hour after I came home, so she didn't keep me waiting as long. When she arrived, I was slumped on the couch with a drink in my hand. I watched her walk in, looking taller than she was when she left the apartment earlier this morning. Her shoes clacked against the floor and when she completely came into view, I saw that she was wearing some expensive looking heels.

"I saw you with Hiro earlier," I said plainly. I cut straight to the chase instead of beating around the bush. Maka looked over to me, not really noticing my presence until then. "Yeah, he sent for me after the show and I guess I got caught up," she explained just as plainly. She took off her shoes and put them into a box that she pulled out of her duffel bag. "He bought you those new shoes, eh?" I asked, taking another swig of my alcoholic beverage. She looked down at them and smiled lovingly at them as if remembering his face. "Yeah," she whispered. A part of me felt a tinge of pain and another part of me felt desperation as she walked off into her room and never returned. "What am I gonna do with you, Maka?" I whispered quietly to myself as I drowned myself in alcohol for the night.

Later that night when I was laying in my own bed alone and defeated, my cell rang. It was obviously Sarah like she said. "Hello?" I answered, dryly. "Babe… Should I start explaining?" she offered. I kinda didn't wanna hear any more bad news. I felt down enough already. "Umm…" I looked to my door for answers, but there was none, so I put the phone back to my ear and sighed. "No, baby. I don't wanna hear any more about it," I said. This worried Sarah. "Are you okay, Soul? You sound upset," she points out. I shook my head. "No, I just had a really sucky day at work today. It's nothing to worry about," I ensured. Sarah wouldn't let it go, though. I'm sure that the only reason she was concerned was because she thought that she was the cause of all my aggravation… and I really wish it _was_ only because of her. "Are you sure, babe?" she asked once more. "Yeah. I had a really bad day so I just wanna go to sleep, okay?" I said, pretending to be tired, but in all actuality, I didn't want to hear her voice any longer. "Alright, I love you, you know that?" she asked trying to sound innocent. _Oh please, I know you're cheating. I don't wanna deal with this tonight._ "Yeah, you too. Night," I said, rushing off of the phone.

I hung up the phone as quickly as I could and threw the phone to a dark corner in the room. _Why does all this shit have to happen to me out of all people?! What did I ever do to deserve this bullshit? I'm a loving boyfriend who does nothing but care for his loved ones, so why am I the one who has to get fucked over? This world is a fucked up one, for sure._

 **A/N:** **Awww! So close! Who agrees that Maka's playing with fire here?! On the bright side, Blair's getting a taste of her own medicine! :D It's about time that this chick learns her place! Ooohhh! I'm so excited for the next few chapters (; I'm also really freakin' pumped that I was able to get this chapter out so early compared to the recent updates. Hopefully we can get to the good stuff that's about to start juicing things up a bit ;D If ya know what I mean *coughcoughLEMONcoughcough* Yes, the lemon will be showing up VERY soon so keep an eye out for that (; I will see y'all soon so please send reviews, favorite, follow, all that good stuff, stay beautiful, live happily and I'll keep you updated! (: ;***


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** **Alright, Chapter Twelve! On a roll, Laurnea, let's do this! This chapter is a little short for my liking, but the content is certainly worth a short chapter. Anyway, I cut this one a bit short because the next one is going to run into a whole other phase that drags on for quite a while, so don't worry. I think you guys might really like this one, but if you don't particularly like profanity than I humbly apologize. *YES, THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MANY SWEARS AND CURSE WORDS THAT OTHERS MAY NOT ENJOY!* But other than that, this chapter is very emotional too, so without further ado, let's get this show on the road! DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER, BURLESQUE OR ANY OF THE SONGS CONTAINED IN ANY OF THESE CHAPTERS! *THOUGH THIS ONE DOESN'T HAVE A SONG* Alright, enjoy! (:**

 _CHAPTER TWELVE:_

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

At the end of every single day this week, Maka's been coming home late and returning at ridiculously late hours every single night and it gets worse each and every day. Even worse than that, she doesn't even SPEAK to me anymore. She cooks breakfast in the morning, leaves it out for me and then jets off before I can even wake up. One day, I caught her in the act, but the only thing she said to me was, 'Going out to meet Hiro. See 'ya later!' and then she just left. That same night, she came home at 1-fucking-am. ONE IN THE FUCKING MORNING and still didn't say anything to me! Lately, it's been all about Hiro-this, Hiro-that. I don't even get a 'good morning, Soul' or a 'good night, Soul' because she's either on the phone with Hiro, getting ready to see Hiro, going out with Hiro, going to buy stuff for Hiro, I mean, c'mon! The man's a freakin' millionaire! Why do you even have to buy him anything?!

Point is, she's been so freaking attached to this guy and here I am, livin' with the goddamn girl, and it already feels like I'm back to living alone. She's known this dude for a freakin' week and they're already all over each other. You should see this fucker in the booth at the club! He's over there all kissin' up on her neck, feelin' on her thigh! It's revolting! Call it jealousy all you want, but I can't take this shit anymore. One of these days, I'm gonna say something to her and I'm gonna say it real good so that she never forgets it.

* * *

Come Friday night, Maka actually comes home with me on my bike for the first time in AGES, people, AGES. I tried getting home as slow as I possibly could without detection and it worked for a minute or two, but eventually, Maka was rushing me to hurry up so she could get home. Yeah, did I forget to mention that she's been acting like a total _BITCH_ to me lately as well? Well, she has! She's so much more demanding and bossy, like a little spoiled rich girl, but I could never bear to call her out on it. I couldn't do that even if I tried. Sure, it pisses me off, but Hiro's the one pampering her every freakin' day.

First, it started off with the shoes. Now he's buyin' her all sorts of junk that she doesn't even need like a diamond encrusted watch, an expensive party dress that showed WAAAY too much skin for my liking, he even bought her a blue diamond necklace. _A BLUE DIAMOND NECKLACE!_ Do you know how much those cost?! Yeah, more than I make in two years!

Anyway, that night when we got back home, Maka was rushing into the apartment and as soon as I got in, she had already unlocked the door and jumped in the shower. I shut the door and locked it behind me, sighing dramatically, hoping that she'd hear it. I threw all my stuff in my bedroom and sat on the couch with my feet up on the coffee table and my head laid back to look at the ceiling. Honestly, my blood was boiling to such an extent, I'm surprised I didn't just roll over and die right there.

Eventually the water running from the bathroom shut off and Maka was running in her towel to her room to get ready. It took her less than 3 minutes to throw everything on. When she walked out of her room, she surprisingly called out to me for the first time in a week and asked me how she looked. I sat up and saw her wearing a skin tight light pink bodycon dress that was short enough to show off enough of her silky smooth legs and she, of course, wore her precious Louis Vuitton heels that she got from her precious boyfriend. I hit my head back down on the back of the couch to look up to the ceiling once more and gave her a half-assed answer.

"Stunning, Maka, just stunning," I bored. Maka turned to the bathroom and blow dried her hair and curled it as quickly as I could even pay attention. When she was finished, she paced back and forth from her bedroom, to the bathroom to check herself. While she did this, I had to remind her before she completely forgot about it and made plans tonight.

"Maka, you do remember that Tsubaki's wedding was moved up to Sunday, right?" I called out. Yeah, we were all surprised that Tsubaki finished planning everything so early, but she stayed on top of things and she had a lot of hands, so I guess it wasn't impossible.

Maka showed up from the bathroom, now putting on her large ass hoop earrings. "Yeah, I realize that. Why does it matter?" she retorted. _Again, with the attitude._ "Just wanted to remind you before you made any other plans with your new boyfriend," I snapped back. I put the emphasis on 'boyfriend' because to be honest, that's not what he really was. He was just a dog goin' after a bone. Nothing more nothing less. Dogs get tired of the same bone after a while, same with this one.

"Yeah, what of it?" she snaps again. _This woman's testing my patience…_ "I just think you should be careful, Maka because-." She cuts me off before I could even finish and she stops moving around to give me an evil eye and a scowl that she's never given me before. "And _I_ think that if you really wanna nag a girl about what she should and shouldn't do and who she should and shouldn't talk to, you should call up your girlfriend and annoy her for a night," she said, putting me in my place. I really didn't have anything to say to that, so I just bite my lip in frustration and laid back in the couch.

Maka grabbed her matching diamond encrusted pursue and left, slamming the door and saying nothing even remotely close to a goodbye. I groaned excessively for the rest of the night and began to get even more aggravated the longer I sat around by myself. I paced around the apartment, clenching my hair in my fists and stomping around. "HIRO! WHAT IN GOD'S NAME DID YOU DO TO MY MAKA?! SHE'S A TRAIN WRECK NOW!"

I paused for a minute after what I just said to myself. "My Maka…" I whispered as I stopped my pacing and brought my hands down to my sides. "Yeah… my Maka," I scoffed. She hasn't been _my Maka_ for quite some time now. This Maka is someone completely different. I know nothing about this girl, nor do I want to. I want nothing to do with this Maka.

Thinking of Hiro and Maka together again made the angry return even stronger. I stormed into Maka's room and saw a complete mess of clothes, makeup, hair products, jewelry and magazines. I looked through her stuff in search of something to bring back the memories of my Maka. The one that I grew to love.

As I was searching through her nightstand drawers, I saw something there that I never wanted to see. Something I never dared to imagine. There they were, a half-emptied pack of condoms sitting right there in her nightstand. "She wouldn't… Maka's not…" I tried to talk myself out of whatever thoughts I was having, but this proof was undeniable. _Maka isn't like that… She wouldn't dare let Hiro lay a finger on her… No._ I slammed the box back down into the drawer, slammed it shut and left her room. I grabbed my keys as quickly as I could and rushed right out of the apartment.

I started up my motorcycle and zipped right down the street, not going anywhere in particular. I probably shouldn't have done this in such a maddened state, but I really couldn't have cared less. What was there possibly to even live for right now? The harder the tears threatened to escape my eyes, the faster I went.

I dodged every single car without fail and left for the desert so I could then be alone. When I finally reached far enough in a deserted area where no one would bother to look for me, I slowed down to a stop and got right off of the bike, laying in the sand. I laid there looking up at the stars and cried. There was nothing else I could do at that moment. I was at the lowest point right then and there. I didn't know what to do, what to think, how to think, who to turn to… nothing. So I sat there, by myself. Doing nothing in particular but letting my heart weep of sadness and regret of not taking the opportunity to leave Sarah and be with Maka sooner. Every single emotion leading up to this point, every thought, every doubt, every revelation just made the tears pour out even harder.

"This sucks. Cool guys like me don't get their heart broken over some girl," I sniffled, wiping my eyes with my sleeve. After staring into the stars for answers, I eventually calmed down and stopped crying. _What am I gonna do now? I'm not happy as I am. I know one thing. I want Maka back. The Maka that I know, not the one that Hiro created. I also know that I need to cut ties with Sarah. We aren't… good together. She clearly wants to be with someone else and I can't be there for her, so we should just separate. It's been a long time coming, but better late than never._

I sat up from the ground and figured out what the first step was: leave Sarah. We all knew this was inevitable to begin with. Even if Maka doesn't want me after this, it still has to be done. When the opportunity is given, I'll end things once in for all… yeah, that sounds about right.

I picked up my motorcycle and started it back up to ride. I mounted the bike and decided to just let this all go for now and get some grub while I'm out of the house. I sped right back up to Death City and into town to find a suitable place for dinner. Take out sounded like a pretty good idea because I really wasn't trying to run into Hiro and Maka in a restaurant. I ordered some Chinese food and picked it up right away, heading back home for another lonely night indoors by myself like I had been for a week.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up early to see if Maka had returned last night. I had stayed up a little longer than usual to wait for her, but she never came, so I ended up dozing off at some point. When I walked out of my bedroom with my regular disheveled hair, shirtless pajamas and bags under my eyes, I saw Maka standing in the kitchen, wearing the same clothes she had last night, also strutting her disheveled hair, wearing the same clothes, only wrinkled this time and the smell of sex enwrapping her from all around. _Of course she spent the night with him._

I stomped over to her and questioned her out of sheer anger. "Where were you last night, huh? Spending the night without even telling me? Havin' me sit up here worryin' about you wondering what in the hell happened to you?" I snapped. Maka glared at me with a look saying, 'how dare you speak to me like that!' "Oh, I'm sorry, Soul, I didn't realize that you were my father and I had to notify you every time I went out and spent the night somewhere else!" she yelled. She clenched her forehead right after she yelled, showing that she had a pounding headache. "Well, it'd be pretty freakin' nice to know so I know that you're alright! For all I know, you could've gotten kidnapped and done away with!" I yelled back. I really didn't care that she had a headache. That's what she gets for not telling me what I needed to be told.

"God, you complain a lot! First, it's all about how I've been going out with Hiro, now it's about spending the night with Hiro. What has gotten into you?! Is there something you need to tell me, Soul?! Is that it?!" she shouted. Her glare got more intimidating, but I wasn't about to back down now. "Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do! I'm over here, trying to protect from the guy whose slutting you up, but you're too damn idiotic and conceited to even think about the possibility that this guy is just in it for the sex! I mean, c'mon Maka, he's got you laid in less than a week, don't you think that says something about the guy?! But no, you wanna go out with him every fucking night and day, ignoring the only person whose lookin' out for you and act like I'm the bad guy! He's a fucking fraud, Maka! Can't you see what this guy's doin' to you?! Use your damn mind and stop letting the money and the sex talk for you!" I shouted.

Maka flinched, looking like she was really hurt by what I said and I immediately regretted it. She backed away from me and looked as if she was about the cry. "Wow… I see. Well, if that's how you really feel…" she moved around me and walked to her room slowly and dejectedly. My face twisted from pure anger, to pure sadness. _I can't believe I just called the one girl who means the world to me a slut… Way to go, Eater, way to go._

I ran after Maka who shut the door in my face and locked it. I knocked on the door and pleaded with her. "Maka, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to call you any of those things, please open up the door," I pleaded. "Go away, Soul. You've done enough," she said, sounding like she was on the verge of tears if not already crying. I felt so much more guilty than I ever had in my whole entire life.

Soon, Maka came out with her suitcase and all her stuff packed. She rolled her suitcase out of her room and as soon as I saw it, I grabbed her hand that was placed on the handle. "Maka, no. You don't have to leave. Stay here. I really didn't mean what I said, so don't go," I pleaded once more. Maka didn't have anything to say. She only forcefully took back her hand and walked right out of the door without saying anything. "Maka… I'm sorry," I whispered as she slammed the door behind her and made off on her way.

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

I couldn't believe my ears. Soul had very clearly called me a slut and a whore (indirectly, that is). All those things he said about Hiro? I couldn't run to Hiro now. Not like this. No, instead, I ran to the one person who I knew I could count on. I had to visit her today anyway for the last few preparations for the wedding… Tsubaki.

It took me a while to reach her house on foot, but I managed to make it before I got too tired out. I guiltily rang the doorbell, hoping that she wouldn't turn me away. A few seconds later, my best friend opened the door to me, only to look at me sadly when she saw the suitcase behind me.

"What's wrong, Maka? Do you need a place to stay?" she asked. The tears that I had been holding back began to trickle when she asked this and I nodded my head, not daring to let her hear the sadness placed within my voice. Tsubaki pulled me into her embrace and patted my hair. "Oh, Maka…" she whispered. She grabbed my duffel bag that I had been carrying in my other hand and led me inside her house. She took me upstairs to the guest bedroom and set my thing down, sitting on the bed to talk.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" she asked timidly. I nodded and sat beside her after I put the suitcase down. I took a deep breath and began. "Well, last night I spent the night with Hiro. You know how it's been between me and him lately. Of course, we had sex and I stayed at his place. When I came home today, Soul woke up and just started yelling at me, saying that I should've told him where I was, that Hiro's no good, that he's 'slutting' me up… All this horrible stuff… So I just got up, packed my stuff and left. Tsubaki stared, wide eyed. "Did he apologize?" she asked. I looked to my feet and nodded. "Yes, he has, but with all the things that he said, I don't know if I should accept it," I said. It was the truth. I have never seen Soul with such blind rage like that before. He usually never loses his cool, so I never really know how to react when things like this happen.

Tsu rubbed my back and comforted me. "Maka, you know Soul better than anyone else. You know he would never mean to say something like that had it not been for his anger. I think you should at least understand that," she explained. I nodded my head and wiped my tears. Tsu was right. I know how Soul acts on a daily basis. He would never say something so mean to me, had he not been worrying about me. I guess it is kinda my fault for not notifying him of my whereabouts. That much, I can take the blame for… Still, I couldn't face him. Not right now at least. I'd be able to face him at the wedding, but other than that, I couldn't bear to see his face after such an explosion.

"I can't see him right now, Tsu. I can't look at him right now after what he said. Tomorrow, I should be okay, but for now, would it be too much trouble to spend the night?" I asked. "Of course not, Maka! You can always stay here if you need to. We have no problem with it… Right Black*Star?!" she called out to the closed door and in, fell Black*Star who fell onto the floor in the room. "Hehehe, right, dear," he chuckled nervously. He scratched the back of his head and blushed at him, being caught. "Umm, Black*Star? Would it be okay if you didn't tell Soul where I am right now?" I asked, twiddling my fingers. "Well, yeah, okay, but I have a feeling that he already knows where you are," he said seriously crossing his arms. "Huh, what do you mean?" I asked.

Before he could answer, Soul comes walking up behind Black*Star also blushing and looking to the floor. "I was worried about you, so I came to the first place I could find you," he murmured, not making eye contact. I looked away, almost ready to cry again, but I lulled my sadness away. _He didn't mean it, Maka. He's not that type of guy._ I sighed quietly and broke the silence. I stood up from the bed and walked right up to him to look him in the eyes, but he could barely bring himself to do even that. "I forgive you, Soul," I whispered. He finally looked me in the eyes after that, still looking a little guilty and sorry. I smirked at him a little to ease his conscience and he eventually did the same.

"Thanks, Maka. I won't ever say something like that ever again, alright?" he said, looking a bit more cheerful, but that doesn't say much since he's still wearing a sorry look on his face. _Ah, I'm such a pushover!_ "Yeah, okay. I'll let you know when I'm gonna be out late so you won't worry like that again," I said. He nodded once and for a minute, we just stared at each other, for what? I don't know… But it certainly has been a while since we have even looked at each other. I guess that's kinda my fault, but still… it has to be done. He's still with Sarah and I'm (kinda) with Hiro now… This is the only way.

I cleared my throat and looked away after too long and he did the same. "Ahem. Well, I'll leave you girls to it. I'm heading back home. I have a phone call to make," he says, turning away and walking down the stairs. I ran after him and called his name before he left. "Soul!" I called out. He stopped in his tracks and turned around, with his hands in her leather jacket's pockets. "Yeah?" he asked. He stared up at me at the top of the stairs and I looked back down at him. I smiled a little and said, "Meet you at the altar." Soul blushed a little and cleared his throat once more, looking away to hide his embarrassment. "Yeah, see you… ahem… at the altar," he struggled to say. He left right after he said that and I just sat at the top of the stairs laughing away at his flustered response.

 _Yeah… I'll see you at the altar, Soul._

 **A/N:** **Whew! That was intense! Who'da thought lil' ol' Maka is gettin' down and dirty with a millionaire?! Who was surprised by that? Also, what about that hardcore reality that Soul just hit Maka with?! BURRRRNNNNN! Dude, she's a smoked salmon at this point xD *CORNY* and what about that last line?! 'See you at the altar.' UGH! I love it! I hope you guys are excited as I am for the next chapter (; I'm pretty damn sure that the lemon is coming up in the next chapter, so you'd better get ready! Alright, beautifuls, I'll see you guys soon so stay beautiful, live happily and happy reading! (: SEND REVIEWS! I EAT THEM ALLL UP! NOMNOMNOM :D**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** **Coooool! Chapter Thirteen is finally out! OMFGGGGG You guys are going to love this chapter, I guarantee it! Before any of you go anywhere, I want you all to know that THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS A LEMON! So watch out for that. I did put a *LEMON ALERT* sign up for all of you who wanted a heads up, so here we go! The big day has finally come! DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER, BURLESQUE OR ANY OF THE SONGS CONTAINED WITHIN THIS CHAPTER! Enjoy! Also, let me know what you think of the lemon (;**

 _CHAPTER THIRTEEN:_

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

Sunday morning had to be the most hectic morning I've ever witnessed ever since I was in the orphanage. Black*Star had left to stay at a hotel, which was probably best since his fiancé over here has been screaming since early this morning about how frightened she was. Tsubaki invited all the bridesmaids to her house, early that morning to make sure everything was perfect with the hair and makeup. The majority of us did our makeup every day for the shows, so it really wasn't a problem, but Tsubaki still just wanted everyone near so she didn't feel so overwhelmed.

She woke me up around 7am and started jumping on my bed like a crazy woman. "Maka-bear, Maka-bear! Wakey, wakey, eggs and bacey!" she shouted. She sounded so much like a 13 year old teenager, but she couldn't help it. She was excited, scared, happy, worried… A whole bunch of different emotions were clouding her mind right now and I completely understood.

"Mmmmm… Alright, Tsu, I'm up, I'm up…" I said, groggily as I was struggling to get back up from bed. Tsubaki got off of my back and pulled me right out of bed, almost making me fall over. "Okay, Tsu, okay! Want me to make some breakfast? You can just lay back down and rest a while," I offered. She shook her head. "No, no. You're my guest, so I'll be the one cooking breakfast, but could you stay in the kitchen with me?" she asked, pouting like a little puppy dog. It was extremely cute, but also, extremely childish. I nodded and followed her down the stairs.

In the kitchen, I watched as Tsubaki prepared everything for breakfast. The girls would be coming soon, so she had to hurry and make a huge breakfast for everyone. I was just as excited as her, but when I woke up that morning and sat in the kitchen, I felt a bit lonely. _Usually, I'd be home, making Soul breakfast and listening to him blast the music on his radio as he took a shower. Now, me and him are apart and I'm only watching someone else cook my breakfast for me. It just doesn't feel the same._

Tsubaki turned to look at me and seemed to know exactly what the problem was right away. "Makaaaaa. If you really miss him that much, then just call him. He needs to wake up soon anyway and I bet he's just dying to hear your voice right now," she recommends. I had to think about it for a moment, but I ended up doing just that. I whipped out my cellphone from my pocket and called him up as soon as I saw his contact photo.

"Hello?" after about three rings, he answered his phone. "Hi, Soul. Good morning," I greeted. "Good morning. How was it, last night?" he asked. "It was… different. It wasn't like back at home where you would only be a few feet away from my room. This morning felt weird without making you breakfast, so I figured I would call and see how you're doing," I said. Soul chuckled a bit in a deep laugh like he usually does. "I'm actually cooking myself something right now. How's the bride-to-be right now?" he asked. I looked over at Tsubaki and saw her looking like she was on the verge of tears. "It's been a rollercoaster with Tsu. One minute she's as happy as can be, the next she's worrying about what would happen if she tripped," I said, rubbing Tsu's back, gently in comfort. She laughed at what I said and said to put Soul on speaker, so I did. "Hello, Soul, good morning," Tsubaki greets. "Hey, Tsu. Good morning to you too. You ready to walk up the isle?" he asked. She looked down at her clothes and asked, "Emotionally or physically?" All of us laughed together and she said, "No, but really, I'm a little scared to be honest, but that's to be expected, right Maka?" she asked. I nodded my head. "Yup. This is all normal, Tsu," I comforted. "Yeah, and don't worry about tripping, Tsubaki. Maka'll be right behind you through it all, if you trip, Maka's got your back," Soul said. Tsubaki smiled at me a nodded.

"So, Soul. You remembered where you put your tux, right?" I asked. "Umm… Is it in the hallway closet?" he asked. I face-palmed and sighed. "Check my closet, I'm sure I left it in there for safe keeping," I instructed. "Alright, doing it now," he said. I heard a bunch of footsteps and door openings. "Jeez, Maka, you still have a lot of junk in here," he said. I blushed and pouted. "You can't expect me to grab everything I own and stuff it in the suitcase in such a short amount of time!" I shouted. Soul laughed and said he was just kidding. After a moment of silence… "Found it!" he said in triumph. I shook my head and said to myself, "What would you do without me?"

Soul and I chatted for a while before breakfast, but then he said that he soon had to meet Black*Star and the guys, so he had to leave and get off of the phone. "Alright, well, we'll see you soon. Drive safely and don't ruin your tux for god's sake!" I warned. "Yeah, yeah, I got it. You girls take care," he said before hanging up the phone. Tsubaki and I chuckled and returned to making our big breakfast. "Well, he seems a lot more cheerful, don't you think?" Tsu asks. I don't really know how he feels, but I know that I feel a lot better talking to him.

* * *

Right on time, Liz, Patty, Jacqueline and Kim all showed up at the house right when Tsubaki and I were finishing up our big breakfast. I let everyone in and greeted them at the door.

"Hey, everyone! We just finished breakfast, so if you guys are hungry, the kitchen is full of food right now," I said, stepping aside to let everyone in. They all walked around into the kitchen and hugged the bride-to-be. "Awww, we're so happy for you!" Patty exclaimed. "Thanks, everyone! I'm honestly getting a little scared as the time ticks, so I'm glad you guys are all here with me to endure this nerve-racking time in my life," she announces. Everyone makes an 'Aww' sound and hugs her even tighter.

"Okay, girls, dig in!" Tsubaki urges. All the girls grab a plate and start piling their food onto their plates one by one. Liz turns to Tsubaki after she fills her plate with food. "Tsubaki, when did you say the cosmetologist would be coming?" Liz asked. "What time is it? 8am? She should be coming in two hours or so. That should leave us enough time to take showers and gussy up and all, haha!" Tsu says. "The wedding starts at 2pm, right, Tsu?" I asked. "Yes, that's right. I had to schedule her a bit earlier than I wanted since it's a Sunday, but oh well," she says, shrugging her shoulders.

Tsu and I started piling our plates as well, because we didn't want to go in on an empty stomach, so we ate a huge breakfast all together as we gathered around the kitchen table.

"So, Maka, how's you and lover boy doing?" Patty asked, winking at me. "Whaaaat? What lover boy?!" Kim asked, surprised. "Jacqueline patted her on the shoulder to calm her down and she said, "Maka's been dating Mr. Hiro Shimono. You weren't there the day he brought her a bouquet of roses and a pair of Louis Vuitton heels," she explained for me. Kim's eyes shot open really quickly and Liz's eyes shot to me, telling me that she hadn't known either. "Wait, what?! Maka…" Liz started. I shrunk in size as Liz looked over at me disappointedly, just as Soul had when I first told him about me and Hiro.

"Sorry for not saying anything, Liz…" I apologized. "Maka, you know that man is not to be trusted," she said warningly. I nodded with my head down and put another piece of bacon in my mouth.

"What happened to Soul, Maka?" Kim asked. I looked up at her with a tilted head and asked what she meant. "You know, Soul. What happened between you guys? I thought you two had something," she assumed. I stayed silent for a minute to think about what she said, but I eventually shook my head. "No, him and I are just good friends. We're roommates, but that's all. He is engaged after all," I said, murmuring the last part. _Soul's engaged… That's why we can't be around each other like we used to be… It's for the best._

"Don't you notice it, Maka? The boy is head over heels for you!" Kim says. I shoot another confused look at her and Jacqueline nods. "It's true. Soul's your biggest fan. Every time you go up on that stage, he sits and watches your performances through to the end. He won't even serve anyone until the performance is over," she explains. "No, I can't say I've ever noticed that. Are you sure that's true?" I asked. Everyone at the table nods at my question, confirming Jacqueline's notion. I raised my eyebrows for a minute and stared down at my plate in front of me.

We all discussed the wedding further until we all gorged down as much food as we could. "So who's the groomsmen?" I asked. I actually never bothered to ask before, but I was curious about who these women would be walking down the aisle with. "Alright, so we've got Soul as the best man, who'll be waiting at the altar with Black*Star, Maka, you'll walk behind me and meet Soul up front. We have Kid with Liz, Patty with her boyfriend, Crona, Kilik with Jacqueline and Kim with her boyfriend, Ox," Tsubaki mapped out. I turned to Patty and Kim. "I didn't know you two had boyfriends!" I said, slightly surprised. "Haha! Crona's very shy, so I don't mention him that much!" she giggles at the thought of him. "And Ox and I are pretty private, especially because he's a professor at the DWMA. What would it look like if he were to tell his colleagues that he's dating a burlesque dancer?" she explained. They both had legitimate reasons. "Black*Star didn't really mind who his groomsmen were as long as he had Kid, Soul and Kilik up there with him, so I thought of the brilliant idea of letting the girls go up with their boyfriends and he agreed!" Tsubaki beamed. She seemed pretty proud in her plan, so I was a little excited myself to see what everything was going to be like when we all finally got together.

* * *

A few hours later, after all the girls took their showers, the cosmetologist arrived to complete our looks. "Everyone, this is Marie, our cosmetologist for the day!" Tsubaki announced. "Hi everyone! I'm here to make you all look even more beautiful than you already are! Who wants to go first?" she asked, seeming quite excited. She looked beautiful herself, so I was pretty excited to see the outcome. Her long blonde hair was slightly curled and her long eyelashes complimented her brown eyes. She was always smiling too, which made her look even prettier than she already was.

"I think the soon to be Mrs. Black*Star should go first," Liz said, putting her hands on Tsubaki's shoulders. "Me? Really?" she asked. We all nodded and figured that the bride, who is going to be the center of attention should probably finish her makeup first. Marie gently grabbed Tsubaki's hand and started taking her to the living room to start the process.

* * *

It was around 1pm when everyone was just about ready to go. Marie made sure to use every minute wisely so that we could all look absolutely stunning by the end of the process. Marie gave us all pink eyeshadows to match the colors of our dresses and she lined our eyes perfectly to hide the band of our false eyelashes and still look elegant enough to walk to aisle. All our makeup was about the same, except for Tsubaki's and all our hair styles where different. Liz thought it would be best to leave her hair straight down with a flower accent to match the dress, Kim strutted a curly, bun updo, Jacqueline went for a long side fishtail with flower accents, Patty wanted a bun updo, Tsubaki left her hair long with banana curls and a hair bow in the back of her head to give it girly, elegant look and I simply went for long, loose curls that swept to one side. Everyone looked absolutely breathtaking that day that even now, just thinking about it nearly brings tears to my eyes.

"Well, you girls are officially ready to go. Tsubaki, I hope your wedding is truly magical and everything you have always dreamed of!" Marie bid her farewell. Tsubaki thanked her greatly and soon after Marie left, our limo arrived.

"Are you ready, girls?" Tsubaki asked. We all cheered and took a bouquet of camellia's in our hands that matched our beautiful, camellia-colored strapless, satin dresses that hugged our bodies right down to the top of our knees. We all also wore silver, six-inch platforms and matched our diamond jewelry. Tsubaki was wearing a princess-styled sweetheart, strapless wedding gown that had a low back and the dress dragged far behind her, truly making her look like the princess she is. All of us helped her outside and made sure her long gown didn't rip or get caught on anything on the ground. We all piled into the huge limo that looked like it wouldn't even be able to fit on the street.

The driver made off with all of us inside and the closer the got to the church, the most nervous we all got. _The boys should all be there by now… I wonder what they're thinking… I wonder if they're nervous like we are._ I took a deep breath and took Tsubaki's hand. I knew it had to be even harder for her than it was for the rest of us. She also took a deep breath and smiled at me. "You're gonna be great, Tsubaki. This is your big day that you've always dreamt up. Enjoy it to the fullest," I said. She looked at all of the bridesmaids and they all nodded in agreement. She nodded as well after a while and smiled. "Thank you all. I love you guys so much for being here with me," she said, sentimentally. "Aww, honey, don't make yourself cry. You don't want to ruin Marie's masterpiece," Liz said, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief for her.

All this talk of weddings and happy days made me think of Soul for whatever reason. I had the instinct to just pull out my phone and text him, so I did. ' _Hey, good luck up there. I'm a little worried, so wish me luck. Meet you at the altar, best man (;'_ Send. It wasn't long after that he texted me back. ' _I'm sure you'll be fine, Maka-bear. I'll wish you good luck even though you don't need it, so good luck. See you at the altar, maid of honor (:'_ I don't really understand it, but texting him made me feel a lot less stressed. _Yeah… See you then._

* * *

When we arrived at the church, we saw everyone seated in the church. It seemed like a pretty large wedding to me. Who knew that they had so many friends and family? Anyway, when we pulled up to the front of the church, the bridesmaids hoped out one by one and met their escorts at the door. Tsubaki and I were left behind to wait for our cue and she started to hyperventilate from the anxiety. I calmed her down and rubbed her back. "Calm down, Tsu. I'll be right beside you every step of the way, you hear me? I'll always be right here next to you," I assured. Tsubaki is my best friend and I wasn't about to leave her in her time of need. Not during her wedding, not during her labor, not ever.

Tsu grabbed my hand and pulled me in for a large hug. She kept her tears in, but she really did want to just break down and cry. This was the biggest moment of her life and she didn't know how to handle it. "Thank you so much, Maka. I really do love you, you know that?" she said. I laughed and patted her back. "I love you too, Tsu. I love you too, but I know someone else who loves you more and he's standing right at that altar waiting for his bride," I said. Tsubaki released me and nodded with a big smile.

The wedding planner helped us both out of the limo and led us up the stairs to the church to prepare us for our walk down the aisle. I stood behind her and soon, the wedding planner brought her father up to walk down the aisle with her. He grabbed her arm in his and whispered 'I love you' and 'I'm so proud of you' in her ear to calm her down. It worked, too. Tsubaki really did need all the support she could get.

Before we could even take our deep breaths, the door to the church opens up in front of us and showcases us to the audience. The piano begins to play for Tsubaki and she slowly begins to walk alongside her father, clearly shaking the closer she gets to her husband-to-be. I take a look at Black*Star and he's smiling bigger than I have ever seen him before, while wiping the tears from his eyes. It was such a touching moment and I never had expected to see this reaction from him, but he seemed just as scared as his wife.

I then looked to Soul who stood beside him and he was looking directly at me, smiling like I had never seen him before. It was kind of like… a loving smile. Dare I say it? I blushed and turned my face in any direction I could to avoid his gaze. I turned to the camera at the end of the aisle and smiled brightly for the pictures. I then took my place in front of the other bridesmaids and beside Tsubaki. Then… the ceremony began…

* * *

"You may now kiss the bride!" said the priest. Black*Star took Tsubaki in his arms and planted the biggest kiss on Tsubaki's lips making all of us clap and cheer for joy. Black*Star took Tsubaki by the arm, gently and lovingly and walked back down the aisle with her. Soul and I walked to the middle and took each other's arms, walking pacingly behind them, as did the rest of the bridesmaids and groomsmen. As Soul and I walked together, he whispered in my ear, "You look beautiful, Mrs. Maid of Honor." I blushed a little, but then I whispered back, "You don't look so bad yourself, Mr. Best Man." We both laughed and ran to the parking lot when we got out of the church and we ran straight to his motorcycle.

"Your carriage, milady," he goofed, giving me his hand after he mounted the bike. Alright, Soul, but don't drive too fast. I have a song to perform," I said. He laughed and started up the bike. "Whatever you say, princess," he said, getting onto the road behind the limo. The limo drove slow enough for us to follow at a decent pace. The club that we were having the reception at was pretty nice and it was pretty close to where we were at the church. The club was a pretty spiffy looking golf club place with miles and miles of clean cut grass and beautiful décor.

"All this for a golf club?" Soul asked in his helmet. I shrugged my shoulders and hugged him closer. "Eh, rich people," I said. He laughed and parked his motorcycle. We dismounted the bike, still looking pretty decent for the pictures, though I hoped that they went by quickly. I hated pictures because they took so long, but whatever made the best friend happy…

We went to a little section of the field where the sun looked the best and we all took multiple photos. The first few pictures were of the bridesmaids with the bride, one with me and Tsubaki, another with me and the bridesmaids, individuals of the bridesmaids and the groomsmen, pictures of me and Soul, you know, the whole bit. It went on forever, but at least they came out pretty nice. I had no complaints.

After Soul and I were finished with our pictures, he pulled me aside and we snuck back off the grab some grub from inside before we made the big announcements and I performed my song for Tsubaki. It was a secret performance that only Liz and I knew about and we told the DJ ahead of time so that we could set it all up perfectly without her knowing.

Soul and I snuck out some food and hid in an isolated corner of the club. "So what's this performance you keep talkin' about?" Soul asked. As he shoved food in his mouth. "It's a secret little show for Tsubaki and Black*Star that only Liz and I knew about. It's our wedding gift to her," I explained. Soul laughed. "You guys are a bunch of cheapskates," he laughed. I punched him softly in the arm and laughed along with him.

Before I could eat anything, the wedding planner came down the hall looking for us so we could make our entrances, so we followed the sound of her voice. When she saw us, she sighed out of relief and lined us up as the second to last at the door.

"Where were you guys? Makin' out behind a potted plant of somethin'?" Black*Star whispered to us. I blushed at his notion and quickly shook my head. "No! That's not what we were doing, you big lug!" I shouted. Tsubaki giggled and said, "Oh, c'mon Maka! It's okay if you were!" I turned around and pouted. "Shut up and kiss your husband, damn you," I said. She laughed even more, but then Black*Star grabbed her and kissed her to tease us. I turned my head around and blushed even harder. Soul looked at my face and then laughed along.

"Now, let's give a round of applause for our bridesmaid, Kim and our groomsmen, Ox!" the announcer shouted as he blasted music for them to enter with. Ox has one hand in his pocket and the other on Kim's waist. He grabbed her hand and twirled her around once, pulling her back into his chest to kiss her cheek and line up in the crowd who was now going berserk.

"How about Jacqueline and Kilik?! MAKE SOME NOISE!" the announcer introduced. Kilik and Jacqueline did a little dance on their way to stand next to Kim and Ox. The crowd kept shouting and cheering for each and every one of the bridesmaids and groomsmen. "Alright, alright, folks, here we've got the beautiful Patty and her boyfriend Cronaaaaaaaaa!" the announcer yelled, sounding more excited that Crona looked. Crona quivered on his way to stand with the other bridesmaids and groomsmen. Patty was next to him, jumping ecstatically. I could've sworn that he grabbed her by the arm and whispered something along the lines of 'I don't know how to deal with this, Patty' or something like that. Either way, the crowd was still cheering and going wild.

"Next up is the power couple of Burlesque, Elizabeth and Kid!" the man shouted. Everybody including the staff were cheering as loud as they could. Everyone loved Liz and Kid together. They walked in elegantly and then Kid got down on one knee, kissing Liz's hand as she smiled lovingly. When he stood back up, Liz grabbed each side of his face and planted a kiss on his lips, before standing with the others.

We were up next. Soul squeezed my hand and smiled down at me. I did the same. "Let's give it up for the beautiful Maid of Honor, Maka and the Best Man Soul! Give 'em some love, people!" he shouted. I began to walk out on Soul's arms and we stopped in the middle of the dance floor. He pointed a hand towards me and I curtsied. I did the same and he bowed politely. We both held each other's hand and looked into each other's eyes before walking back to the line of women and men. I heard Patty and Liz shout, "Get a room!" out to us as we walked back in line.

"Last, but most definitely not least, we have the wonderful couple that everyone has been joined here today to celebrate, BLACK*STAR AND TSUBAKI!" With this, the whole entire club was shaking with cheers, whistles and claps. The DJ played a song for them that they danced goofily to. _That's so like them!_ We all danced along with them in the crowd and I looked at Liz to confirm with her, the plans. She looked back at me and nodded. I walked around the crowd to the DJ booth with Liz and told him to set me up.

I hoped up on a stage and stood in front of the mic to sing their slow dance song. A spotlight was put on me as I was adjusting the mic and everyone was growing silent. I cleared my throat and began to speak. "Alright ladies and gentlemen, I want to personally thank each and every one of you for joining us today on my best friend's special day," I started off and everyone clapped for the couple. Tsubaki was smiling up at me confused, but I only smiled back and laughed a little.

"Tsubaki, you and Black*Star are everything to me and I wanted to make your day just as special. How about we start off with the couple's first dance?" I asked the audience. Everyone cheered at the idea and cleared the dance floor for the newlyweds.

"Tsubaki, Black*Star, this is for you," I said. I nodded to the DJ and he began the music, which Tsubaki and Black*Star prepared their positions to dance. I got into the music and swayed to the beat as it gently played a soft melody and began to sing my lyrics.

 _CHRISTINA AGUILERA – BOUND TO YOU_

 _Sweet love, sweet love, trapped in your love_

 _I've opened up, unsure I can trust_

 _My heart and I were buried in dust_

 _Free me, free us_

 _You're all I need when I'm holding you tight_

 _If you walk away I will suffer tonight_

 _I found a man I can trust and boy, I believe in us_

 _I am terrified to love for the first time_

 _Can't you see that I'm bound in chains?_

 _I've finally found my way_

 _I am bound to you_

 _I am bound to you_

Black*Star led Tsubaki in the slow dance and I closed my eyes as I sang softly and sweetly, making sure to make this song the best one I've performed yet.

 _So much, so young, I've faced on my own_

 _Walls I built up became my home_

 _I'm strong and I'm sure there's a fire in us_

 _Sweet love, so pure_

 _I catch my breath with just one beating heart_

 _And I brace myself, please don't tear this apart_

 _I found a man I can trust and boy, I believe in us_

 _I am terrified to love for the first time_

 _Can't you see that I'm bound in chains?_

 _I've finally found my way_

 _I am bound to you_

 _I am bound to_

 _Suddenly the moment's here, I embrace my fears_

 _All that I have been carrying all these years_

 _Do I risk it all? Come this far just to fall? Fall_

 _I can trust, and boy, I believe in us_

 _I am terrified to love for the first time_

 _Can't you see that I'm bound in chains?_

 _And finally found my way_

 _I am bound to you_

 _I am, ooh I am_

 _I'm bound to you_

After a couple a twirls and couple more notes, the song came to a close and the crowd erupted into cheers, whistles and claps all over again. The spotlight on me faded and I curtsied on the stage before walking off beside Soul once again.

"Beautiful, absolutely beautiful, Maka. How about the bride and groom?! Who knew the couple could dance so well together?!" the announcer said. A bunch of claps erupted once more and everyone congratulated the couple.

Soul whispered, "You were great, look at Tsubaki. She's in tears over there." He pointed her out on the dance floor and she was literally pouring a river right there. All the emotions that she felt all day long were finally reaching the surface, which was completely fine. Black*Star was right there to comfort her.

"Thanks, Soul," I whispered back. His cell began to vibrate in his pocket, so he took it out and answered it in the hallway.

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

Sarah was calling me, so I took the phone call out to the hallway and left the crowd so I could talk to her in private. "Hello?" I answered. "BABE! So, oh my gosh, guess what?" she beamed. I groaned in response, but she didn't seem to like that very much. "What's with the attitude?" she asked. "Umm, I'm kind of in the middle of something right now," I answered. Sarah scoffed. "So whatever you're doing right now is more important than your fiancé?" she asked. I rolled my eyes and snapped. "That's exactly it, though. You always want to be my top priority, but I've got a life too, just like you, 'babe'," I said back putting the emphasis on 'babe'. "That's because I should be, Soul. I'm your fiancé for crying out loud," she said. That was where I drew the line.

"So everything just has to be about you, that's what you're saying?" I asked. "Well, I mean,-." I cut her off and continued ranting. "No, it's a yes or no, question. Do you think that everything should just be about you? Because from where I'm standing, your answer is yes," I growled. "What I'm saying is that when I have something important to tell you, then yes, it should be about me. You should be listening to me and not worrying about your little friends that you get to see all day long as opposed to your girlfriend who's pretty much all the way across the country," she tried to justify. "Whose fault is that? Not mine. I begged you, Sarah. _Begged_ you to stay in Death City and find another gig, but you didn't listen. So now it's my problem that you can't make time? Listen, why don't you just worry about what's going on out there, I'll do my thing here and we'll be done with it?" I asked.

This was the end of the line. I couldn't be with this selfish woman any longer. It was literally driving me insane and I'm done with it. "What about our future together, Soul? Do you even care about that?!" she shouts. I looked at Maka in the other room as she stood there lookin' all beautiful and sweet and innocent. The complete opposite of Sarah, and my type of woman.

"You know what, I think we both need to start thinking about our _own_ futures… And I think I might just be lookin' at mine now. Goodbye, Sarah," I hung up without letting her speak. Hopefully, she got the message. I could not be with Sarah. Not when I have all this right at the tip of my nose. Not when I'm so close to getting the girl I've been wanting all this time.

I returned back to the main hall and shut off my phone. I walked right over to the bar and drank until I could barely remember Sarah. I sat there for half the night drinking shot after shot. I wanted to be wasted for one night. It's been a while anyway.

Before I could drink myself to death, Maka walked over and sat at the stool next to mine. "Hey there, you drunkard," she greeted. She was staring innocently with her big green orbs that focused only on me. I loved that feeling.

"Hey, yourself," I greeted, taking one last swig of my drink before it emptied. Maka poked my side and made me look at her once more. She looked quite concerned. "What's going on with you? You haven't been able to put away the glass since you got off the phone," she noticed. I was hoping that I'd be able to tell her at a point where it didn't look like I was desperate or sad, because I'm really not. I may have looked it, but I really was at peace that night. I was finally free to go after who I wanted. Who wouldn't be happy for that?

"Actually," I started and sat up in my stool to look more decent. I looked her right in the eyes and told her straight. "Sarah and I broke up," I said. Maka's eyes grew wide for a minute, but that quickly died out, seeing that she kind of expected that it would happen one of these days. "What happened?" she asked. I shrugged my shoulders and played with one of her curls, twirling it around my finger. "She's just not my type," I said plainly. Maka's cheeks burned red, which I had always thought looked pretty goddamn cute on her. She was so beautiful, I didn't want to let her out of my sight for even a second.

Maka eventually smiled and rolled her eyes at my drunk acts. She motioned toward the dance floor and looked me dead in the eye. "Dance with me, Eater," he said. I narrowed my eyes and smiled at her and we ran onto the dance floor along with the other people on the dance floor. Boy, did we _dance._

* * *

 _NORMAL P.O.V_

 ** _*LEMON ALERT*_**

By the time Maka and Soul both got home to their apartment that night, they were both a little tipsy. Maka, from drinking a couple of beers and Soul, still recovering from his earlier dosage of alcohol at the bar. They rushed right home after they got tired of the same old dances and hype at the wedding reception. By the time they left and got home, it had to have been around 9 or 10pm, but who was really even paying attention. All they could pay attention to was each other's lips when they slammed and locked the apartment door shut.

Soul picked Maka up and wrapped her legs around his torso, French kissing like he wouldn't have believed she could. Her back arched as she tried to feel every part of him through each other's clothes, but this just wasn't enough for her, nor him. Soul hadn't even realized that he had all this pent up energy and yearn for Maka this whole entire time; he usually keeps a hold on his sexual tension pretty easily, seeing as it never gave him trouble, but that night, he found it pretty difficult to hold back.

Soul, carrying Maka to his room the best that he could was stumbling from left to right, dizzy from the kisses or drunk from the alcohol? He didn't know; nor did he really even care. All he cared about was that he was a free man and Maka was a free woman. They could do whatever they wanted behind closed doors and nobody would know or even bat an eyelash at it.

When Soul finally got to his bedroom door, he pulled a condom out of his pocket and slapped it on his nightstand so it didn't get lost in the tussle of clothes being thrown that he knew was soon going to happen.

Maka had started it. Before Soul knew it, Maka teared his white, button-up shirt and tossed it onto an unknown area on the ground. Next was his white wife beater. She teared it in a second and felt every curve of his abs. The one curve that she favored the most was the scar reaching diagonal on his chest. She slowly ran her delicate, thin fingers up and down the scar, making him wither in sheer bliss. Her legs were still wrapped around Soul when he threw her atop his large bed, making a squeaking noise from the bedsprings. Soul kicked off his shoes and also threw her heels wherever he could to get them out of the way.

Soul found it unfair that he was the only half-dressed one, so he propped Maka's back up a little the reach a tiny zipper in the back and cleverly unzipped the dress as swiftly and gently as he could. When Maka's bare back felt his fingertips brush her skin, she arched her back even further and gave Soul the opportunity to rip the entire dress off in one slick move.

Soul threw the dress carelessly and released Maka's lips to stare down at the beauty that was before him. He had seen this body move many times up on that stage, but never did he see it so close and personal like he did now. Her plump breasts almost poking out of her strapless, white laced push up bra. _White lace… innocent, yet mischievous… that went perfect with Maka._ He looked down to her panties and saw a matching white laced thong with a cute little bow in the middle. Even further, he saw the white, silky garter around her thigh that he caught earlier in his mouth and told her to put on. He licked his lips at the sight of this little minxy vixen, teasing him without even trying.

Maka began to blush under Soul's harsh gaze and began to blush. She wiggled her hips beneath him and pouted, making a whimpering sound. That was all she need to drive him crazy with lust. He shoved his lips back into hers and placed a big, soft hand on her upper thigh, making her moan softly into his mouth. Their tongues played a sexy game of tag as their bodies gradually become closer and closer.

Maka's hands began to wander, wanting to see just as much as he's seeing. Her hands traveled from his scar, all the way down to his belt buckle where she ever so gently felt something hard underneath all his clothing, daring to peek out. Soul, feeling her twiddling fingers, undoing his belt as slowly as she could, bucked his hips and groaned in frustration. She giggled and sucked on his tongue to tease him further, but this only encouraged to go even rougher.

Soul, feeling a tinge of pain down low, began to guide Maka's hands to undo the belt, button and zipper and he eventually kicked off the pants, feeling a bit more relieved that there wasn't so much constriction where it wasn't wanted. He accidentally brushed his hard member against the clothed opening near Maka's sensitive part, but sure enough, it made her whimper and moan in reaction. This new found discovery came in handy, for he began to tease her now with the anticipation of his manhood, entering her womanhood.

Soul decided that her lips weren't enough to satisfy her, so he moved lower to the side of her neck. She stretched her neck out to give him more skin to mark and he took every advantage that she gave him. His infamous sharp teeth did their magic and softly nibbled the skin, making sure not to harm her. Instead, she squirmed underneath his touch and pulled him into a tighter embrace so she could feel more erotic skin to skin contact. Soul's tongue slithered all around her neck and he began to suck on her neck, causing her to moan as the pleasure spread to the tips of her fingers.

Even Maka began to feel a certain feeling in the pit of her stomach. She wanted him so badly to take over her body and make her his, but she knew that she'd have to put in the work if she wanted him to go any further, so she did.

Maka's hands travelled from Soul's muscular back, down his sides, to the edges of his boxer shorts and from then, he finally got the picture. Soul's sharp teeth removed themselves from her wet neck, causing the air to coldly brush against her new marked skin. He then took a skillful hand and unclipped her uncomfortable bra in one simple move and threw it to wherever his hand guided it. He looked down at her perky boobs and pink nipples that were only for his eyes to see. No, they hadn't made it official, but she was as good as his after tonight and he knew that just as well as she did, though neither cared about that right now.

I grabbed one perfectly sized boob and massaged it in his hand while working the other one in his mouth and teased the pink nip with his tongue. Maka's back arched again as she moaned in a fit of ecstasy and she rummaged her fingers through his silky white hair. Soul fingers twisted and roughly grabbed hold of her breast, making her whimper. _So she does like it rough… Naughty girl._ Maka couldn't take much more of the pain of not being connected with this man. She was already so wet, so why was he still teasing her. It made her hips wiggle again and before too long, Soul's fingers wandered.

He released her marked breast from his mouth and traveled a hand up her upper thigh and another one, teasing the base line of her panties. Maka's heart was pounding as she began making her little noises that only turned Soul on even more. It was almost scary how sexy she was being without even trying.

Soul felt a couple of fingers on her clothed clit and smirked evilly as her eyelids clenched together, trying to keep a grip on her sanity. "You're so wet, Ma-ka. What should we do about it?" Soul asked devilishly. Maka tried hard to pry her eyes open again, but she could only manage to open one halfway. "S-Soul…" Maka whispered, sounding a bit aggravated, yet pleased.

Before she could even think of what he's do next, Soul pushed her panties aside and slightly rubbed a finger against her wet folds, satisfying her, yet still making her want to cry at how badly she wanted to be fully pleased by Soul. Maka moved herself closer to his fingers, hoping he would cover more ground, but each time she moved closer, he moved further. She shot a glare at him for a second, but she couldn't hold it. "Soooouuul!" she whined, like a child. Soul laughed. He loved making her squirm. It brought him joy to see her succumb to him like this, but he knew she wouldn't be able to take much more than this.

Soul lowered his face down to her panties and tore each side with his mouth as quickly and roughly as he could and tossed them to the side. He moved up to start kissing her even more as his fingers returned back to her clit. His finger began to swirl around in a circular motion, making her move even closer to his fingers, though this time, he did not move further away. Feeling her wetness on his fingers started to make even him get more turned on.

Before long, Soul's fingers began to divulge into her womanhood, one at a time. First he started off with one, then two, then three. Maka was scratching at the man's back, moaning and jolting her hips forward to the rhythm of his fingers. Soul growled at the sharp feeling of her nails, but he decided to take her pain and turn it into pleasure. His lips once crashing into Maka's as his fingers moved faster and stopped just when he felt her walls beginning to clench around him. It wasn't going to end here. Not tonight. No, tonight, they were going all the way.

Soul removed his boxer shorts and his socks and sat there right in front of her so she could get the same view that he was getting. She blushed as she looked downward, hesitantly and saw right in front of her, his long length that she had never seen before. Nobody she had ever been with had been this long, so she was a little nervous, but Soul wasn't going to let her lose her confidence today. Today, she was gonna be a new woman.

Maka's lips found Soul's and right when they did, she took the lead like she usually would've and she got him on his back as she stood over him. She cocked an eyebrow at him with a clever little smirk on her face and got straight to business. No questions asked, no comments made, nothing. She put her mouth straight to work and boy did she know how to work it.

Soul began to grunt and groan as Maka's tongue twirled around his length and teased his shaft, running the flat of her tongue from the base to the tip. Yeah, he had thought she was innocent, but after this, she could hardly be called even that. This was a new side to Maka that he had never seen, but he wasn't about to complain. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. She knew just how to start things and she definitely knew how to finish them. Soul quickly emptied himself inside of her mouth, but just when he expected her to spit it out in his trashcan, he watched as she swallowed it whole and licked her lips, sexily and bit them to top it off. It was the sexiest thing that he had ever seen and he couldn't believe that Maka was the one who did it.

His eyes eventually went back to a normal size and then he showed his teeth in a devilish smile, turning her back on her back and lowering his face to her womanhood to return the favor. His long tongue swirled in a circle around her opening and dug deep into her, making her squirm even more than she had before. Her moans got louder as he flicked his tongue against her little nub. He was liking that sound, so he continued this a few more times before his fingers came into play as well. He fingered her with his three trusty fingers once more while his tongue further explored her to the fullest and soon enough, she began to pour. He greedily lapped up her juices and watch her shake with lust, telling him that enough's enough. He was feeling it just as bad as she was so, he snatched that condom right off of the nightstand and prepared himself.

He pinched the top of the condom, rolling it down to his base and positioned himself right at her entrance, rubbing the tip on her vagina. She was about to start pouring tears if he didn't fill her up right away, so she inched closer to him and looked deep into his eyes. He looked back into hers to make sure that she was ready for what was about to come and she nodded her head in confirmation.

He slowly began to enter her, already starting to feel her tightness all around him. It made him feel wonderful, but he had to check to see if she was in any pain. She was clenching her eyes and scratching at his back, so he stopped to let her adjust before they went any further, but that didn't take very long.

"Soul…" Maka whispered. "Hmm?" he hummed in response. Maka's glistening green eyes looked up at him as best as they could. "Come closer…" she whispers and he does so, kissing her, lowering his chest and burying himself deeper into her. Maka wrapped her legs around his waist to feel even more of him and that's when he gets the cue to start moving.

Soul slowly begins to move back and forth, pushing himself deep inside her and almost taking himself out. Maka liked it best when he shoved himself inside of her completely, so she made sure to do her part to feel as much of him as possible. He felt so big to her and she felt so damn tight to him, which only made it that more pleasurable for the two of them. Every now and then, Soul would pick up the pace and clap their skin together, making an erotic sound that turned both of them on even more and made him go even faster, but he wanted this night to last. Right when he thought he or she was going to end things too quickly, he changed his pace to make things last as long as possible.

Soul's tongue enwraps itself with Maka's and they both listen to each other's noises as they continue to crash into each other. Maka never thought she'd be doing this. Not in a lifetime, but right now, she's was so happy to have been given this chance. To be with Soul like this, even if it was just once. To feel him fit her so perfectly as if they both were the perfect two. She had never had any luck with guys, but that night, she thought maybe, just maybe Soul could be that guy. That guy that changes everything for her and makes her life feel complete.

All their love and care for each other translate into their love making. No, this wasn't just sex… This was love. Love that they had both felt for a very long time, but didn't want to admit. Soul and Maka were the perfect two, they just couldn't see it until the last minute, but better later than never. Soul could finally be open about his feelings towards Maka and Maka could finally discover and accept his and her feelings. That night was something else for the two of them. It was a night of revelation, freedom and bliss.

Maka's moans carried out to every single corner of the apartment as he hit her g-spot every single time without fail. "Soul! Soul! Ahh… SOOUUULL!" Each time she screamed his name, his kissed grew harder, his thrusts grew harder and faster, his grunts became louder and his anticipation shot higher, which held true for both of them. It was a little embarrassing for Maka to let him hear such delicate voices that no one else gets to hear, but she embraced it as he did.

Although they had wished to last all night long, their bodies couldn't take much more, so eventually, someone had to give, but Soul's pride was on the line here. He wasn't about to give before she did, so he cheatingly added a finger or two into the mix and pumped harder and faster, making her moans grow closer together as her body began to greedily clench around his. "C'mon, cum with me, baby," he whispered hotly into her ear, speeding up the process even faster. She easily climaxed and succumbed to him completely as he followed right behind her.

Soul collapsed into Maka's chest, where she stroked his hair, both of them panting for a breath. Maka's legs were completely sore and she found it hard to move, led alone feel them. Soul, though not too soon, detached from Maka and threw the condom in the trash bin underneath the night stand. He then moved to the side of Maka, throwing a blanket over both of their bodies and spooning up underneath them, with his face buried in her neck, still breathing as heavily as she was.

"Soul?" Maka said, before she began to doze off. "Hmm?" he answered, also on the verge of dozing off. She turned around to him and gathered up all her courage to say the one thing that she had finally figured out on this night. She took a deep breath, catching his attention and she seriously gazed into his eyes, afraid of what he might say.

"I love you, Soul," she whispered, afraid that he might leave her as a one night stand. Of course, he wouldn't do that though. Instead, he pushed a stray hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead with a smirk and said, "I love you too. I always have." She smiled and hugged him close, finally feeling relieved and closure.

Yes, tonight was an accomplishment. It would forever go down in history for the two of them, though it being corny enough not to admit. Their first 'I love you', their first time, and their first real love was each other.

That night, they soundly slept together in that big bed, both phones silenced, worrying about nothing but each other's company.

 **A/N:** **WOW! What did you guys think of THAT?! It was just like BAM! BAM! DOUBLE BAM! Also, who else is so freakin' happy that Soul and Sarah are through with each other?! I personally can't stand her for the life of me! Soul x Maka FOR LIFEEEEEEEE! Anyway, it doesn't end here, so stay updated and watch this thing unfold until the very end! I'll see ya' soon so stay beautiful, live happily and happy reading! (: ;***


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** **OH. MY. GOD. Chapter 14 is finally here! I must apologize for the delay. ACTs/SATs really are a drag sometimes! Fingers crossed in hopes that I passed! ;D Yes, so this chapter is a bit short, but in all honesty, I am having a bit trouble with figuring out some of the technicalities, so this next few chapters might be a bit difficult to produce, but I'll get the hang of it, I'm sure. DON'T YOU WORRY ABOUT A THING! Ooooohhh and there seems to be a little lemon in this chapter as weeeeell. Don't get your hopes up LAWL! It's not as juicy and hardcore as the last one, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it either way. So here it is.. we are getting very close to the end of this series ),: But I've got a whooooole bunch of cool ideas for you guys that you'll love for my next series, s make sure you follow up on that! I think about you guys every day and I take everything you say to me into consideration so please leave me a review and let me know what's on your mind. You can totally vent to me if you'd like! I love the conversations I share with some of you! Alright, now I'm getting all mushy and I know you want me to shut up so let's get to the disclaimers. DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER, BURLESQUE OR ANY OF THE SONGS CONTAINED IN THIS CHAPTER! Happy reading, my beautiful people! (;**

 _CHAPTER FOURTEEN:_

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

The day after our first night together, I woke up in an unusual way. This time, it was not from the beaming sunlight, peeking through the blinds. No, this time, I woke up by the rise and fall of a broad feeling chest. My eyelashes fluttered open little by little until I was finally able to piece together where I was.

 _This isn't my room…_ I looked around and saw a dark colored room with dark colored sheets, black furniture… Almost the opposite of my bright and cheerful room. _Oh, that's right. This is Soul's room._ I opened my eyes completely and looked down at our two bodies, covered with a blanket, intertwined underneath. He felt so warm and alive… I never wanted to leave this bed. More so, I _couldn't_ leave his bed… My legs were still sore from our… *ahem* little activity last night. So much, that I barely felt any desire to move in the first place, but who would want to when you're cuddled up under a warm blanket with the one you love… Yes, I have finally come to realize my real feelings for the man I once called my best friend. The man who yesterday morning was an engaged man only to be held in my arms later last night as a free man.

I didn't want to move too much, for he could've still been sleeping, so I ever so gently moved my head up to look at Soul and there he was, sleeping peacefully as he always did. Only this time, he didn't look pained when he slept. Every time I was able to see Soul's sleeping face, he always looked a tad uneasy. Maybe it's because he finally knows that he's not alone. He always has been a big baby about that. He's always been a little snuggle bunny when he sleeps, so it's only natural for him to be at peace when someone else is sleeping long with him.

 _You're such a big baby, Soul._ His cute little sleeping face made me want to kiss him, so I did just that. I reached up and give him a peck on the lips, nose, cheeks and forehead and still he hadn't woken up. Or so I thought. I went to give him another peck on the lips, but before I could even blink, Soul opened his eyes and pinned me down onto the bed, with him hovering over me with the most loving smile I have ever seen.

"Well, good morning to you too," he greeted, still half-asleep. He tried so hard to fight off his sleepiness, it was almost adorable. I stole one last peck on Soul's nose and smiled up at his half-closed eyes. Neither of us said anything, he merely lowered his body down onto mine, trapping me and kissed me. I ran my fingers through his bed hair and made sure to be careful not to pull any of his tangles.

"Mmm… Why don't… you sleep… a little more… while I make breakfast?" I offered through each kiss. Soul's arms snaked their way around my body and pulled me in even closer as he buried his face into my neck. "Not yet. Just stay like this for a few more minutes…" he murmured as loud as he could, given his drowsy state. To be honest, I didn't really want to leave the bed either, so we did exactly that.

It was only a mere five minutes of warm silence, but it felt like seconds. His even breaths tickled my sensitive skin and his scruffy, white hair trapped my fingers in place. Our bodies were still bare without clothes and I could feel every curve of his muscular chest on mine. This moment was a bit surreal, I'll be the first to admit, but maybe it was even inevitable… Maybe we were meant to be together like this at some point, I just never realized it. I couldn't really make sense of things like that, so instead, I just enjoyed what I had at the moment.

Though, unfortunately, all good things have to come to an end. I squirmed around underneath Soul's crushing body to wake him up. "Soouuuulllll… Wake up, already," I whispered. Luckily, I didn't have to ask twice. Soul lifted himself off of me and rolled over to his side, stretching mildly to wake his body up. His red, ruby eyes opened right up to me and a smirk appeared.

Soul's soft, large hand brushed a couple of stray hair strands out of my eyes and behind my ear. "You fully awake now?" I asked. Soul nodded and said in a raspy voice, "We should probably get up before I change my mind." I nodded once and turned to grab the first piece of clothing I could find to cover myself up with. To my luck, the first thing I grabbed was Soul's white button up shirt that I had torn off last night. Of course, some of the buttons went missing somewhere along the line, so the only buttons that I could button up were the last four, leaving plenty of cleavage out for show. One foot at a time, I placed a warm foot on the cold, hard wood to stand up out of bed, but it didn't take long for me to miss the warmth and comfort of Soul's body heat.

I pulled the bottom of Soul's shirt to cover my sacred area since Soul wanted to get creative with my panties last night. Though, Soul didn't seem to mind the least bit. In fact, Soul was eyeing me up and down with an impressed glint in his eye.

"W-what is it?" I stuttered, embarrassed by his intense stare. Soul shook his head. "My shirt looks way better on you than it does on me, babe," he said. _That was the first time he called me 'babe'!_ My cheeks were beginning to tint red, so to hide them, I turned my back to Soul and slowly walked closer to the door. "I-I'll just go make b-breakfast now," I stuttered even worse. I closed the door behind me, but not before hearing a mocking laugh from behind it.

* * *

 _Sizzle…_ While I was cooking our breakfast, I paid as much attention to what was in front of me on the stove to distract me from my fluster. Standing in the sunlit kitchen all by myself certainly left room for wandering thoughts.

 _Last night… Soul had that look in his eyes. Ugh, I love that look! That look of confidence and control… WAIT! Get it together, Maka! Don't be a pervert!_ It was so damn hard to focus on anything else but last night! If I wasn't careful, I was sure to give myself a headache from all the times I shook my head back and forth to erase my dirty thoughts.

 _And his cologne… Ugh, that sweet smell of his cologne! Damn, even now, I'm still drunk off of it… MAKA ALBARN!_ This went on for a few minutes; me, mentally scolding myself and slapping my cheeks to get a grip.

As I put another piece of bacon on the plate, I felt a presence behind me. I obviously knew it was Soul, so of course I clammed up at that very moment. He pressed his warm body right up onto mine from behind and placed his two hands on my hips. Soul placed a light kiss on my neck that nearly dropped me to my knees, given that I was already on the brink of fainting from a suffocating lust.

His right hand slowly trailed up to my naval and all the way up into the shirt to cup my breast and give it a squeeze. My eyes rolled back into my head as a moan escaped from my lips. Without saying another word, Soul's left hand traveled downward to part my legs and ever so lightly stroke my womanhood. _H-he's teasing me… and this early in the morning? Oh, what the heck…_

I twirled around and looked Soul dead in the eyes with half-lidded, sexy drooped eyes with one of my arms, wrapped around his neck to pull him in for a rough kiss. His eyes looked wide, as if he weren't expecting me to give in so easily, but I was fighting my urges all morning, so I wasn't about to pass up this opportunity… and neither was he.

Soul's hand lifted me up onto a countertop with my legs spread as he deepened the kiss. He was only in his boxers and I could tell by him pressing up against my body that he was already pretty ready to go, so neither of us wasted any time. After a few more greedy gropes from the two of us, we tugged off the rest of each other's clothing impatiently and went straight to work. That's right. Right there on the countertop of the kitchen. Then on the table, then the floor…

Screams, moans, grunts, juicy noises, skin clapping and squeaks from the furniture was all that echoed off of the walls of that apartment. I was in a state of pure ecstasy that morning and so was Soul. I could feel it all throughout my body with every single deep, pleasuring thrust.

This time, we lasted a little bit longer than last night, but still, by the end of it all, we were both at a loss for breath and we were both drenched in sweat from head to toe. Soul's sweaty body laid over on top of me while we stayed there on the floor. His breathing was so fast and furious just as mine was, which gave me a sense of confidence and accomplishment.

I wiped the sweat and hair strands from his face as we stared at each other happily.

Soul chuckled as he watched me gasp for air underneath him. "My type 'a woman," he whispered to me, slowly lowering himself in for a kiss as I laughed along with him, kissing him back with my arms wrapped around his neck.

* * *

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

Maka took her shower after I did so she could finish up breakfast. While she was in the shower, cleaning up what's left of our little 'bonding' time, I sat at the kitchen table, eating alone and thinking to myself.

 _This woman's got me wrapped around her precious little finger. Damnit._ Thinking about Maka's skin, soft to the touch, her long, blonde hair, her shimmering green emeralds for eyes, her petite, curvy figure… it all just seemed to make sense. How I fell in love with her, I mean. That's not to say that I only love her looks, though. The way she laughs at the stupidest things, the way she always wants to put others first, the way she knows how I feel without having to read my mind, the way she puts me in my place, the way we can talk like we've known each other forever, the way that she can relate to me as I can relate to her… Everything just fell into place… and as I sat there that morning, thinking about all these wonderful little things about my Maka, something hit me.

I dropped my fork and walked straight over to my keyboard in the corner of the room and started pressing the keys to put together a new, added piece to my music. I've been so stuck on one area that I could barely even bring myself to think about the song, but it had to be finished at some point. So instead of banging my head against every wall I came across, I decided to go about it a different way. Translate my feelings into my music and let it flow.

I had never been able to or even allowed to perform my pieces this way, but when I finally did, it sounded like the best piece I had ever composed. To think that it was all because of a woman I used to think was feeble… _Now I definitely can't let her go. Not again…_

Before I forgot the notes, I had to write them down, so I went into my room and ran to grab my sheet of music.

* * *

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

I stepped out of the tub and into the steam-packed bathroom, drying myself with a towel when I heard a vaguely familiar tune playing from the living room. It sounded like Soul was playing a song on his keyboard again, only this time, it was slightly different. I was almost sure it was the same piece he played the first night I spent in the apartment, but something was different… changed almost. _Did he add a new piece to the song? I don't think I've ever heard this before…_

Out of curiosity, I took a peak out of the bathroom door to see if my notion was correct and sure enough, it was. There was Soul sitting at his keyboard, lost in thought as he pressed each key. In a daze, I inched out of the bathroom and listened in as I stepped closer towards Soul. He didn't recognize my presence yet, but I knew that if he did, he would've stopped playing, so I tried my best to keep quiet.

I hadn't heard Soul play in quite some time. He rarely played in front of me, though I couldn't tell if it was from modesty or just because he didn't spare any time for it, but either way, each time he played, it still sounded like he had practiced 50 times a day. It made me wonder how he ended up working at a bar when he has such musical talent. H could've been doing so much more, but instead, he chose to live out here in Death City, Nevada and keep quiet underneath the other citizens living here. It's not really my place to judge, but it only made me curious.

At the end of Soul's song, he finally noticed someone was standing behind him and he whipped his head back to look at me. He flinched and jumped up in surprise, but I only smiled back at him with pride. I walked over next to him, neither of us doing anything but staring at each other and sat down next to him.

"It's been a while since I heard that song," I whispered, gently running a finger over the keys without letting them make a sound. Soul stared at my fingers, lovingly and smiled slightly in response. "Have you been playing when I'm not around?" I asked, only out of interest. I didn't mean to accuse, more like tease him about it. Soul shrugged his shoulders and began to play a few notes of his melody on the keyboard as we talked.

"At first, I played here and there when you were off at the club doing your early rehearsals, but after a while, I had a block and I couldn't think of anything else to add to the music, so I just stopped playing," Soul explained. I nodded and watched his fingers dance upon the black and white keys with ease. That's when I gained the courage to finally ask the question that had been stuck in my throat since the first night I came here.

"Soul, can you tell me a little bit about your childhood? It's okay if you don't want to-." I started, but Soul shook his head and chuckled a bit at my question. "It's alright, I can talk," he said, pausing to gather his thoughts. When he finally pieced together how to explain it, he turned to face me and I, the same.

"Well, I guess I can start by telling you that I come from a family of musicians. My mother was a piano player, my father was a violin player and my brother and I took after them. My brother Wes took after my father and played the violin and I took after my mother and played the piano. That's how I started to learn and love how to play," he walked me through his past. The words flowed out of him like it was as easy as breathing and not once, did he seem pushed over the edge while speaking.

"My brother and I were born and raised in England, but we traveled quite a bit since my mother and father were always performing in the states," he divulged. That caught me off guard. Soul didn't even _sound_ like he was from England. Not even that, he seemed like he was the complete opposite.

"Wait a minute, you're British?!" I asked with disbelief. Soul laughed and nodded. "Yeah, is that such a surprise?" he chuckled. "Well, I mean, you don't even have a single hint of a British accent. Quite the opposite, actually!" I giggled. Soul started speaking in a voice I had never heard him speak in before. It was his true voice! "Well, if I went around talking like this all the time, wouldn't it seem a bit odd when I spoke, improperly?" he asked in his British accent. I blushed at the sound of his voice and looked down into my lap. "Y-yeah, I suppose you're right. Go on," I urged, wanting desperately for him to talk normally like he did with me once again so I wouldn't feel so flustered around my own… Well, I guess he hasn't asked me yet, so it's not official…

"Alright. My parents wanted my brother and I to succeed them when they were no longer able to perform, so they worked us to the bone, teaching us how to play every note perfectly every single time without fail. Of course, me being the youngest, I get the short end of the stick," he hung his head dejectedly. "What do you mean by that," I asked. Soul looked back up and forced himself to continue on.

"My brother had been a natural born violin player. Wes was always the one getting the compliments and the standing ovations, but me? All I got was a slap on the hand and a lecture about the art of music and how I should be more like Wes. It was embarrassing!" he passionately expressed his true feelings as if they were bottled up for years. I stayed silent, not knowing how to respond to his outburst. I could feel his built-up frustration flowing into me like a river and his pain turned into mine.

"I eventually got sick and tired of hearing the same old lectures and getting the same old punishments. For a while, I even hated to play the piano. When I turned 18 and graduated high school, my parents were just about to ship me off to a private school for musicians so I could study hard to become like them, but the day before I was supposed to take off for God knows how long, I got into an argument with my parents and left on the first plane I saw. Ended up here in Death City and have been making my own life ever since," he finished. His agitation was contagious. I found it so easy to just put myself in Soul's shoes and feel the same degradation he had been feeling all that time. Just imagine… Life being decided for you before you were even born by someone who only wanted to get something out of the outcome for their own selfish reasons… It would all seem pointless. What's the point of living if it's not for yourself?

I wrapped my arms around Soul and looked him dead in the eyes as he stared down at me. We stayed silent, lost in each other's hot and cold irises until I finally broke the silence.

"Well, I think you're wonderful. It doesn't matter what those people say. You've worked hard and it shows. So don't feel any less than your parents, your brother or anyone else," I whispered softly as I pleaded with my eyes for him to cheer up and wipe away all those bad memories. No one deserves to be treated like a chess piece, especially not from their own blood.

Soul's arms tightened around me and he eventually smiled lovingly once again. "Guess that's all that matter then," he whispers back, placing his lips on mine in the sweetest of ways. As Soul's body pressed up closer to mine, I had finally realized that I still only had just a towel on, so I escaped his arms as quickly as possible. Normally, I would love to ease his pain at a time like this, but that would have to wait. Right now, I had something I had to put an end to.

I got up from my chair and said, "Uh-uh, not this time." I wagged my finger and put a hand on my jutted-out hip. Soul laughed and looked up at me, looking a bit defeated. "I'll just have to catch you off guard again next time," he teased. My cheeks flared a bright red as I walked back to my room to change into something more decent.

* * *

"Alright, I'm off," I called out from the bedroom after I got dressed. I was wearing a simple pair of ripped skinny jeans, a white v-neck and my white converse with my ash-blonde locks swaying down, behind me. When I went over to the couch at which he was slumped down on (again) to give him a goodbye kiss, he sat up and leaned over with his elbows resting atop his knees.

"Where are you going?" he asked with a hint of protest in his voice. I smiled at him to assure him that it was nothing he had to worry about. "I'm just going out to talk to Liz. Nothing to worry about," I said, half lying. It's true that I needed to talk to Liz at some point, but that wasn't my main objective at the moment.

Soul shrugged his shoulders, giving up his interrogation and slumped back down in the couch again. "Do you need a ride?" he asked. I shook my head without hesitation and said, "No, I'll be fine. What're you gonna do today?" He shrugged his shoulders once more and said, "Nothing special. Just gonna wait around for my baby to come back home." He smiled up at me, sexily, showing off his shark-like teeth that I loved so much. _Ugh! He's just too damn cute!_ I gave him a kiss that was a little longer than needed, but neither of us complained.

When he parted, I whispered to him, "I'll be back soon," before I turned away to walk out the door. The thing that almost killed me was that as soon as I walked out the door and was about to close it behind me, all you hear is Soul calling behind me saying, "I love you, be safe." _Haaaah… That man will be the death of me… but maybe that won't be such a bad thing._ I wandered out of the apartment complex with a huge, undeniably goofy grin on my face as I made my way out into the sun.

* * *

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

After Maka left, things were a bit quiet and dull without her for a good ten minutes, but all the while, I was freaking out on the inside.

 _Maybe I should've told her about Sarah. What if something comes up and the two of them see each other? I won't be able to hear the end of it! What'll I even say?! WHY DID SHE HAVE TO COME HERE NOW?!_

Out of anxiety, my leg was bouncing up and down as I rubbed the side of my forehead with two fingers as these thoughts ran through my head. Before I could fully compose myself, a knock was herd from the other side of the door.

 _Oh god… The time is now._ I forced myself up off of the couch and shuffled over to the door. Of course, my nervousness was still visible by the time I opened up the door to a blonde with bright, sapphire blue eyes that were just as cold as they looked.

"Sarah," I greeted plainly. She didn't really bother to say much. All she did was push past me and entered the apartment, heading straight for my bedroom. Right when Maka left, I cleaned out all of her clothes that was scattered all over the floor. Lucky me, huh?

I followed after Sarah and watched her empty my closet of her things. Every single coat, shirt, jeans and shoe was thrown into a duffel bag of hers that she brought in. The awkward silence was bugging me a bit, but I didn't want to get too into what happened between us, so I only made small talk.

"So, uh… Sarah. I didn't know you'd be coming back so soon," I said, still sounding a bit nervous. Sarah didn't look at me even for a second as she threw all of her stuff into her bag.

"Yup. Y'see, I was gonna tell you, but after our little incident over the phone, I decided, what's the point?" she snapped, coldly. See? I wasn't even trying to bring all that up, but she just _had_ to pick at it! Instead of arguing with her, I needed to get her out of here as quickly as possible. I didn't know how long Maka would take and if I could help it, I really would like to avoid their confrontation.

"Yeah… Anyway, listen, I know you wanna get all of your stuff out of here in one visit, but I really have to-," I started before she interrupted me, finally turning to glare at me. "Yeah, yeah, I know you've probably got somewhere to be. I wanna get out of here as fast as I can as well. I'm almost done here" she assured. She can say that, but that didn't calm my mind at all. I had to wonder what Maka was doing right now…

 _MEANWHILE (MAKA'S P.O.V)_

I had been to this place multiple times, but even so, this building never ceased to amaze me with its size. Yes, I was in Hiro's building. He lived in the penthouse above everything in the city, with the exception for the Mayor's Academy on the top of that big hill all the way across the city. I wasn't here to admire the building, though. I had some business I had to take care of once and for all. Sure, it was fun while it lasted, but Hiro and I both knew that we weren't gonna last forever. I had hoped and dreamed, but dreams don't always become a reality… at least, so I thought.

I took the elevator up to the penthouse suite and when I got to the top floor, Hiro's servant greeted me and took me inside. We walked over to the living room where the servant left me to retrieve his master, upon my arrival.

As I waited, I sat down on the couch and waited for Hiro to come out as I scanned the house once last time since I knew that today was the last day of luxury. When I looked around, I noticed that the door to Hiro's home office was cracked open. You see, Hiro's office was always closed, so I never really knew what it looked like, so I couldn't help my curiosity. Speaking of that curiosity, it led me to take a short peek inside and when I did, I couldn't tell whether I should be glad I did or disappointed that I did.

I stepped closer inside and right there in the middle of the room was a large table with a model of the city on the top. I had to admit, it was pretty amazing. It was an exact replica of Death City, but what was even more shocking was really the first thing on that model that caught my eye. Right where the burlesque club was supposed to be, was a skyscraper almost as large as the building we were in right now. _I guess the rumors really were true… and I was stupid enough to turn the other cheek. How stupid could I be?!_

My face contorted into a look of pure disgust and anger; I didn't need a mirror to tell that much. I was about to storm out of the room to hunt Hiro down, but when I turned around, he had already been leaning right on the doorway, grinning at my back

"Well, well, by the look on your face, it seems you've discovered my little 'secret'," he inspected. I scoffed at his attempt to beat around the bush and crossed my arms testily. "A 'secret', huh? Seems to me like it wasn't a secret from anyone but me. Liz and the others were right about you all along, weren't they? And I fell for it. Wow…" I shook my head in disbelief. I wanted to believe the others. I really did. But I guess the saying is true… Curiosity killed the cat. Pretty stupid cat, huh?

Hiro said nothing as I contemplated my next move. He just sat there staring at me with his big, blue eyes, mocking me. I took a deep breath and began to speak. I had to stay on topic. I needed to tell him the reason I really came here.

"I can't do this, Hiro," I whispered, defeated. He clearly hadn't been expecting that since his eyes began to grow wide. His smirk of utter accomplishment disappeared, though I really couldn't understand what was so surprising about it. Did he really expect me to just run into his arms after all that I found out? Did he really think that it wouldn't matter to me?

"What're you talkin' about, baby? You don't really mean that-," he started, but I stood my ground, despite his look. "I really do, Hiro. I can't do this anymore. It's over, now," I said, firmly. Hiro laughed a bit; the taken aback look on his face, turning into one of promise. "Babe, look, I'll take care of you, alright? Don't worry about the club. The only person you should be entertaining is me," he said with a sexy smile on his face as he moved closer to me and took me into his arms. He was serious… but so was I.

I pushed his arms away, his eyes growing wide once more. I glared up at him with my fists, tightly held at my sides. "If you think for one second that that'll actually make me happy, then you really aren't the one for me," I was firm, but I lost my composure at the thought of my smiling Soul, looking down at me with that comforting look on his face. "Besides," I started, looking down at my feet with a slight smirk, "I'm in love with someone else… That's why I really came today." I looked back up at Hiro who now looked pissed as all hell, but who cares? I said all that I needed to say.

After a moment of silence, Hiro crossed his arms and broke his intimidating gaze. "Don't come crying to me when you decide who you really need in your life, because everyone's replaceable, babe. I'll find a new you by tomorrow. Now get out," he demanded, walking away from me. Though he sounded cold, it was clear that he was a bit hurt by the way things turned out. Then again, who am I to care about his feelings when he didn't even consider my own? He doesn't need to pretend that he loves me; I already knew from the start that he didn't, but like I said… it was a happy dream. Now… it's time for me to start a new one.

 _MEANWHILE (SOUL'S P.O.V)_

I've been chewing on my nails trying to hurry Sarah out of the apartment, but she kept telling me that she wouldn't take long. It took her about 15 minutes for her to clear out my closet of all her stuff and when she finally finished, I heaved an exaggerated sigh of relief.

She got up and slung her duffel bag over her shoulder. "I'm almost done here, for real this time. Now I just need to get my boxes from the guestroom closet," she said. Before I could stop her from going into the guestroom that was flooded with Maka's things, it was too late. She already opened the door to her room and stood there in awe as she looked at all of the girly clothes and lingerie all over the floor and the perfume, lotion and jewelry on the dresser. _Goddamnit. Now she's really gotta go._

"Sarah, I think you should leave. I'll send your boxes to your new place, but I've-," I said in a firm, serious voice, but she cut my off mid-sentence. "Why do you want me to leave so bad, huh? So you can go call your bitch over?!" she yelled at me, turning around with a glare and bunched up fists at both sides of her. She stormed into the middle of the living room, pacing back and forth. I knew what she was thinking, but I didn't feel that I had anything that I needed to explain to her. All I cared about was calming her down enough to not make a scene when she left to apartment. Maka and I really didn't need the drama right now.

I walked up to her and placed both hands on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. She was still glaring up at me, but I did the same to tell her that she wasn't scaring anybody.

"Sarah, that's none of your-," "My business? It's none of my business that my own fiancé was fucking some goddamn whore in our bed while I was off in New York?! REALLY?! That's none of my business, Soul?! How about this, when did all this happen exactly? The first month? The first week? The first day?!" she steamed. She was yelling pretty loud so I focused on calming her down and decided to explain a little so she could get some closure.

"You know I'm not that type of guy. I would never cheat on you, Sarah, nor would I cheat on anyone else! I have more respect for you than that and she would know me well enough to understand that much. Now, you can believe what you wanna believe, but-!" Right before I could finish my explanation, Sarah grabbed both sides of my face and kissed me… hard. _What the hell is she kissing me for?! I got to get away from this girl and get her off of me! What if-._

I struggled to break free at first, but when I did, I heard footsteps stomping on the floor and slamming our door. When I turned around and saw no one there, I had assumed the worst. _Oh god… that wasn't… MAKA!_

I ran straight out of the door and looked around for somebody and sure enough, there was Maka, running down the hallway, tripping over her own feet and almost falling over. "MAKA!" I yelled, not caring who heard me. I dashed right for my girlfriend who was obviously trying desperately to escape. My heart was pounding with pain against my chest and I felt the blood rush through every vein as thoughts rushed all around my mind, not knowing what to do after I caught up with her.

Before I could fully grasp what I was going to say, I caught up to Maka and wrapped my arms around her to stop her from running away from me. She beat on my chest in protest with a waterfall pouring down the sides of her face.

"Get away from me, Soul! Get away!" she hollered, loud enough to hear us outside. Some residents opened their doors and stared at us, so I felt pressured to calm everyone down and get Maka back inside my apartment.

"Maka, please. You've got it all wrong! That was just-," once again, I am cut off with another accusation. "Sarah! I know! I'm obviously interrupting something, so I'll go! Just let me go, already, goddamnit!" she screeched. She slipped from my grasp and ran out of the apartment complex without looking back at me even once. I sank to my knees on the floor, dumbfounded and at a loss of words. All I could manage to do was whisper Maka's name to myself… _I always end up hurting the person I love most… Why do I always have to screw things up?_

 **A/N:** **I don't know, Soul, I don't know. Why do you always screw things up? Haaaaaah, we all knew that Sarah wasn't gonna leave quietly on this one. Hopefully this is the last time we get to hear from her... but idkkkkkkkk.. Maybe it's noooot! (; And what about Hiro, you guys? Do you think he's bluffing about replacing Maka so easily? Hmmm.. I mean he is a pretty good lookin' dude, but he seemed a little bothered by Maka's love for Soul, don'tcha think? Oh well, guess he should've never lied then... We all knew this was inevitable though. Ooooohhhh, I'm so excited to see what Maka and Soul has in store for us next! I won't get anyone's hopes up about the next chapter and how long it'll take me because like I said, the technicalities are a little tricky to work around, but I'll get through it. Send a review and let me know how I'm doing so far! It really helps! And soon, I'm thinking of getting a head start on a new series so I'll be prepared once Soul x Maka: Burlesque is complete so keep an eye on that. Also, I'm curious to know what you guys' favorite anime couples are! Why don't you guys let me know so I can work around something! I have so many that it's hard to decided which one to do next! Anyway, I'll see you guys soon so stay beautiful and live happily! (: ;D**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** **Whew! Hey there, guys! It's me, Laurnea! So finally, we're at Chapter 15... don't get me wrong, this isn't the end. Nope, not just yet, but we're gettin' there! Things are going to get a bit complicated for me from here on out so please be gentle with me. I have some news that may concern you guys though! I recently got a new job at the mall and I'm going to be a bit busy from Black Friday all the way up to the end of December, so the delay for chapters may alter a bit, but I'm gonna do the best I can to at least wrap this series up for you guys before I take a short break to get everything together for the next series. Chapter 16 is gonna be a bit rough on me so all I ask is that you be patient and good things will come to you, my friends, I promise you that! This chapter is going to be a bit short and it's going to be more of a bridge chapter, but hopefully it soothes you guys' hunger for mooooreeeee! Anyways, I'm rambling now so let's get this crackin', shall we? DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER, BURLESQUE OR ANY OF THE SONGS MENTIONED IN THIS CHAPTER! Alright, happy reading, everyone! ENJOY! :D (:**

 **P.S. Just got my report card back for first term of my senior year of high school. HONOR ROLL BABY, YEEEEAAAAHHHH! WOOOOO! ;D *mental high five* 3 Okay, happy reading, folks!**

 _CHAPTER FIFTEEN:_

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

Running, running, running… I ran down the streets of Death City, chest heaving desperately for air as I tried to escape the cold, hard truth. _Soul and Sarah kissed…_ Yeah, I was there; for the most part that is. Soul was trying so hard to convince me that everything was okay. He even started texting me a couple times before I got too far off, but after a while, I decided that it'd be best to turn off my phone. So I did.

Anyways, as I was saying, Soul was trying so desperately to fix everything on the spot, but I knew what I saw. I saw hesitation. That's right; I knew that Sarah was the one to make the first move, but that's not what upset me the most. What really ticked me off was the fact that Soul couldn't restrain himself. He couldn't find it within himself to deny her. I laughed as the tears erupted, running down my cheek, neck and then staining my blouse. _Who am I kidding? He loves her. Of course he does. She was his first love and I know how hard it is to get over your first love. Look at me now… Falling in love, getting my heart broken and solving my problems by running away? When did I get to be such a coward? It's revolting!_

My anger and hatred towards my own feelings pushed me to run faster. My long legs were beginning to ache as I aimlessly ran to nowhere in particular, but I couldn't have cared less. It was nothing compared to the pain stabbing me in the chest where my heart was supposed to be. _Soul loves Sarah… It's alright, I guess. Maybe we were a little too quick to judge. Maybe we rushed into things in the heat of the moment last night. I don't know… All I know is that I can't be around him right now. Not now…_

I ran until I came to the point where my legs gave out and I dropped to my knees in an empty park. I dropped down to my knees and fell forward, supporting myself only with my now dirt-covered, grass imprinted elbows as I wept. **"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"** I wailed, screaming out all of my frustration. It helped a bit, seeing as I silenced myself afterwards and took deep breaths to regain my composure. When I felt strong enough, I lifted myself up from my elbows and kneeled on the ground, staring at the grassy area before me.

Thoughts ran through my mind, but the longer I stared, the more numbness I felt overcoming my body. But then… Another thought popped up. _Wait a minute… This is not the time to be crying about my own issues. I almost forgot, too, what a dunce._ I stood back up on my two feet and wiped my tears with a determined look gleaming in my puffy, red eyes. _I've got a job to do._

With that, I began my walk to a nearby bookstore. There were more important matters at hand that I needed to take care of before I thought of myself. I wasn't sure if I'd be any help, but if there was any way _to_ help, I needed to be the one to do it. Besides… no one loves the Burlesque club like I do.

* * *

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

"Damnit!" I screamed, chucking my phone to a place, unknown. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sarah flinch a little at my sudden outburst. She had been sitting there with a smug smirk on her lips that she had been struggling to keep down, but there was no reason to hide. I knew all too well that she meant to do this on purpose. _I should've known better than to think that this would all go okay. I know what type of person Sarah is and I know what type of person Maka is, so I know well enough that Maka's not gonna be easy to bring back. I know it's best to keep my distance form her so that she can have some time to herself, but I couldn't help chasing after her. I really do love her… I don't want this to end just because of a misunderstanding._

As I paced back and forth to think of my next move, I stopped for a minute to glare up at Sarah to let her know that she isn't welcomed here.

"Ooooh, scary! What's with the glare? Did I do something wrong?" she played dumb, hooking her index finger on her pouted, bottom lip. Back then, I would've thought she looked really cute and adorable, but now; all I see is deception and the eyes of a winner. It sickened me and I couldn't even be bothered to look for another second, so I whipped my head back down.

"You did all this just to chase her off, didn't you?" I whispered sharply. Sarah's smirk didn't disappear.

"And what if I did? It's not much of a loss if you ask me. I mean, c'mon, Soul-." "That's enough, Sarah. You can say all you want about me, but that woman has done nothing wrong. Don't bring her into this and don't you dare even think of badmouthing her in front of me, do you understand?!" I snapped, cutting her off. This time, Sarah's smile really did go away, replaced with a look of confusion and hurt; but hey, did I care? **HELL. NO.**

"Why are you acting like this, Soul? C'mon, you don't need that low-class slut- * **SMACK***!" I interrupted her with a well-deserved smack across the face. Usually, I don't condone putting my hands on women like this, but when it came to Maka, nothing else mattered to me. I glared down at the fickle woman and stood my ground as she hed a hand up to her cheek, stunned.

"Well, what the hell was that for?!" she screeched. "I warned you once about badmouthing Maka. Now, I think you've overstayed your welcome, Sarah. Get the hell out. Don't let me see your face again," I growled. Sure, it may have sounded harsh, but if you were in my shoes, you'd probably even dare to say that it's not enough.

Sarah huffed and grabbed the rest of her things, snatching bags and clothes to show an attitude. I wasn't really feeling it, but if it got her out of my sight quickly, then I wouldn't didn't mind her snooty behavior for a few seconds more. After she grabbed all of her belongings, she turned to the door and paused for a minute before she turned around to glare back at me.

"You listen to me, Soul Evans. I'll leave, but don't come crying to me when you figure out who you really need in your life. Don't forget that everyone's replaceable, dear. Especially you." With that, she slammed the door behind her and that was the end of it. Along with her went my tension and frustration.

I slugged over to the empty couch and toppled onto it with an exasperated sigh that couldn't even compare to the agony clouded within me. I needed Maka. _Bad._ I had to make things right with her, but how? _She's not one to take people back so easily. Yeah, sure, I managed to wiggle my way out of trouble once or twice, but this isn't like the other times. She's a lot more vulnerable now. *sigh* The things this woman does to me…_ I sat up and slumped over my knees, taking my phone out of my pocket once again. I stared at it for a long while, hoping that maybe Maka would call me first, but that wasn't likely to happen… and I knew that. I dialed my girlfriend's number, but unfortunately as expected, the call went straight to voicemail. _Where could you be, Maka? What are you doing? I hope you're okay, damnit because if something happens to you, I don't know what I'd do with myself. Jeez, what has gotten into me?_

* * *

 _*LATER THAT NIGHT*_

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

"…m… Ma'am…" I felt someone shake my shoulder, waking me from a slumber that I hadn't even realized I fell into. "Mmmm…" I pried my eyes open; my head was placed gently on top of my crossed arms over a book I had been reading. It seemed awfully dark, seeing that the library I remembered I was in was pitch black, only being lit by one little table light. I looked up at the person whose hand was still shaking my shoulders and the old lady sighed with relief.

"Whew, I thought you'd never wake up, deary," the lady said, taking back her hand. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize I fell asleep. I'll get moving right along, just give me a minute," I said, stretching my arms out a little. The old lady nodded her head and returned to gather her things at her desk.

 _Damn… I can't believe I fell asleep! At this rate, I'll never be able to come up with a plan. We can't lose this club… Not now. Not when we were all just starting to get the hang of things._

I sighed dramatically, looking back down at the book I had been reading when something caught my eye. _Air rights, huh? That sounds pretty familiar… WAIT!_ I read further as quickly as I could and found exactly what I was looking for. _I know what I need to do! I have to tell Liz about this! This is it, THIS IS IT!_

I ran out of the library, quickly hollering a 'thanks' to the librarian and speed walked down the street to the Burlesque club. _Liz, I promise I won't leave you behind in all this. We're gonna work this thing out for sure. We're not losing this club as long as I have a say in this._

* * *

 _MIDNIGHT THAT SAME NIGHT…_

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

"Ugh…" I woke up to a dark, empty, cold apartment as I laid there on the couch in an awkward position, phone in hand, not a single notification. Knowing that I had been alone that night gave me little to no motivation to even move over to my bedroom.

 _My bedroom. The bedroom that we shared. The bedroom where she and I confessed our love to each other. The bedroom where we gave each other everything we had without a single regret. Ack! I gotta shake this feeling! Acting like a moping, lovesick fool isn't gonna get me anywhere…_

I stared at the moonlit ceiling for a few seconds more to gather up what was left of my strength to move myself out of the living room, but when I did finally get up from the couch, I had wished I never did. I dragged my feet back to my room with hope lighting somewhere deep in my heart of the slim chance that Maka might've actually returned home while I had been sleeping. I passed her room, but it looked no different from the way it did when she left it. I figured as much, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't the least bit disappointed by it. Then, I opened the closed door to my bedroom… _our_ bedroom. I slowly peeked inside to see any sign of life hidden behind the door, but unfortunately, as I expected, nobody was to be found. The room looked just the same as it did when Sarah left.

 _Damnit. It's really late too. I doubt she's gonna come home at this point. Man… what if she's sleeping with Hiro? What if Maka ran over to his penthouse to cry on his shoulder? What if he offered to take away her pain? What if… what if… w-what if she's decided that she's rather be with Hiro after seeing Sarah and I?_

I violently shook my head to get rid of the nonsensical thoughts running through my head. I knew Maka wasn't the type to go for a rebound when things go wrong, but I just couldn't help but wonder. What else could I do when she refused to answer my phone calls and text messages? What else is there for me to do, but to sit here and think of all the possibilities?

I walked over to my bed, stripping myself down to my boxers and gently laying into the cold bed. As I nuzzled my face into the pillows, I could still smell Maka's scent lingering around my room. I dug my face deeper into the pillows, closing my eyes to ease my mind into believing that she was still here with me now, but it was no use. Her scent may have still been present, but the warmth, she took along with her. This bed was as cold as the middle of the winter. I covered myself with the dark-colored sheets that we once shared, but it couldn't replace the warmth and comfort that Maka provided. Nothing was the same that night and I could barely stand to even sleep in that dark, moonlit room, listening to nothing but the sound of one human breathing between the walls of an empty apartment.

 _I can't believe how dependent on Maka I've become. What am I, some kind of child? Man, this is so not cool._ I tossed and turned in bed, feeling the urge to at least call one more time to hear her sweet voice before I forced myself into a painful slumber. Even though there was a greater chance of her not answering my calls and the phone call going straight to voicemail, I had to at least try my luck… So I did.

I grabbed my phone and impatiently dialed Maka's number and holding it up to my ear. The phone rang a few times which was a good sign that she at least turned her phone back on. The phone rang once… then twice… then a third time… but still, no answer. Things didn't look so good on my end and before I knew it, Maka's voicemail answered for her.

 _"_ _Please your message after the tone. BEEEEP."_ I decided to at least leave her a voicemail to show that I at least cared a little, so I took a deep breath and began talking on instinct.

"Hey, Maka… It's me. Listen, I know you're mad at me and you may not wanna talk to me and I totally understand that… It's just… Ahhh, I don't know. I just really wanted to hear your voice right now. I understand that you may not be ready to hear me out just yet, so I'll leave you be if that's what you want… Just please understand this: I love you, Maka Albarn. I really do and you know I mean that… *sigh* well, I guess there's not much else I can say right now, so, goodnight. I hope we can talk soon." _Beep._ With that, I ended the call and threw my phone down on the hardwood floor beside my bed, turning to face the wall. I guess it made me feel a little better, but that doesn't really say much for me.

 _I can't keep pushing her. Right now, she just needs some air. Oh well… I guess that's all I can do for now._ I snuggled deeper into the blankets and closed my eyes, forcing myself to sleep.

 _MEANWHILE_

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

 _I'm sure that the club's not gonna be open at a time like this and I'm pretty sure that Liz and Kid have already gone home, so I'll just have to jump on this first thing in the morning._

Truth be told, even after spending pretty much the whole day apart, I still couldn't bring myself to go back home. Not tonight at least. Instead, I decided that since it's late, my best bet is to just get to a hotel and spend a night there before tomorrow. _Shoot, but I don't have any clothes… Guess I'll just have to sneak back into the apartment early in the morning and grab something before I head off to the club. I'm sure it'll be fine as long as I go super early in the morning._

With my mind made up, I marched straight over to a close hotel, making sure that it wasn't the one I previously stayed at; I couldn't afford to get into trouble with _them_ at the moment. I found one a couple streets away from the library and checked into a large single bedroom. I knew that I was only spending a night there, but I figured it'd be best to treat myself for the time being, seeing that I've had quite a rough day.

When I unlocked the door to my hotel suite, I was amazed by the size of the room they had given me. _This is pretty spacious for a hotel suite this large, but hey, I'm not complaining!_ The suite was about four times the size of my bedroom back at Soul's apartment and on the right side was a large, king size bed with swanky looking golden and cream colored sheets with two nightstands on each side of the bed and lamps placed atop. On the left side of the room was a large, flat screen TV, a couch and two matching chairs on either side of the couch with a bathroom to the far right corner of the room.

I threw my pocketbook onto the couch and walked over to the bed to sit on top of it and rest while I took in the scenery. _Wow, this suite is pretty nice. I'm sure Soul would've loved to-._ I stopped myself while I was ahead. Now was not the time to be thinking about my issues with Soul and the whole Sarah thing. Right now, I had something more important to be paying attention to.

I laid back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling for a few seconds until I realized that my phone was still turned off from earlier. _I know I probably shouldn't, but I could be getting an important call. I should turn it on._ So I did.

I held onto the power button and watched the phone's logo pop up on the screen, releasing the button, heart nearly stopping from the fear that I may have had to see Soul's ignored text messages and the amount of times he had called me. I wasn't mentally ready to deal with Soul yet and I knew that seeing his messages and the call log with his name popping up would only make me worry about him. _Man up, woman! What are you so afraid of? So what if Soul calls you? He doesn't deserve your attention right now._

I shook my head and looked through my phone, regardless of what I may see, but I immediately regretted my decision. Right there underneath my notifications was 4 text messages from Soul, 9 calls and 1 voicemail. Just like I had thought, I almost felt the need to call him back, but I just wasn't ready to hear him out yet, so instead, I decided to read the messages and listen to the voicemail. The messages were first.

 _"_ _Maka? Where did you go? I'm sorry, please pick up the phone."_

 _"_ _MAKAAAA."_

 _"_ _Nothing happened with Sarah, you have to believe me! Please, I have to know that you're okay!"_

 _"_ _I love you, please pick up."_

The messages made me want to believe him, but I couldn't be so easily swayed. The urge to text him back and at least tell him that I'm alright lingered, but I thought it'd be best to keep him wondering for now. Besides, I figured that he had already gone to sleep. Next was the voicemail.

I entered in my information to reach my phone's voicemail inbox and then listened in to hear what he had to say. A deep sigh was heard and then a sad, depressing Soul began to speak as if his heart had been dumped away and burned in the incinerator.

 _"_ _Hey, Maka… It's me. Listen, I know you're mad at me and you may not wanna talk to me and I totally understand that… It's just… Ahhh, I don't know. I just really wanted to hear your voice right now. I understand that you may not be ready to hear me out just yet, so I'll leave you be if that's what you want… Just please understand this: I love you, Maka Albarn. I really do and you know I mean that… *sigh* well, I guess there's not much else I can say right now, so, goodnight. I hope we can talk soon."_ The call ended and a tear escaped from my eye.

 _How could he still be so considerate when he's this worried about me? I guess I know he means well and maybe it's true that he didn't mean to kiss Sarah, but that doesn't change anything. What happened, happened. Nothing more, nothing less. *sigh* Whatever. I got to shake this feeling long enough so I can sleep. Gotta wake up early tomorrow._

I turned over in my bed, not even caring for the covers really. I nuzzled my face into the pillows and quickly fell right to sleep, erasing my mind of every stupid thought long enough to last me through the rest of the night. _I'll just deal with all this another time._

 **A/N:** **I'm going to start working on Chapter 16 right away, but like I previously said, these next few chapters are going to be really harsh on me so go easy on me, guys. These are the last few chapters so let's make them count, alright? I'm thinking of my next new fanfic. idea that I think you guys might really enjoy if you enjoyed this fanfic. as much as I did! It's not concrete yet, but I'll play around with it a bit and see how I can work it all together to make something even bigger than Soul x Maka: Burlesque! I promise you won't be disappointed! I'll see you guys soon so stay beautiful, live happily and happy reading! (: 3**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** **Guys, we've finally done it. The last chapter of Soul x Maka: Burlesque is finally here! AHHHH, I wanna cry! Thank you all so much for all your feedback and all your comments of encouragement; it is very appreciated! Let me talk a little about chapter 16, this chapter runs very long; maybe even longer than my other chapters and it contains a raunchy lemon so keep that in mind! Also, I have posted a cover photo for this series, but i do not own it AT ALL so all the credit goes to the artist that is unknown to me unfortunately )x My next series (SoMa pairing) has already gotten a head start, so check that out if you're interested.**

 **The story is called 'Mama, I'm In Love With a Criminal'. This story follows a young 23 year old Maka Albarn who's life takes a turn when an old classmate of hers crosses paths with her once again; little did she expect that this laid back, lazy class clown would actually turn out to be a WANTED CRIMINAL! When Maka takes matters into her own hands to then help this old friend of hers, she gets mixed in with a world unknown to her and she risks the chances of her possibly running into danger herself as the ties with this long lost high school peer of strengthen.**

 **So that was a little description of what to expected from my new series if you're interested in it. Reviews are always welcome! Anyway, I know you're just dying to find out what happens next to our little Maka Albarn and Soul Eater, so let's get this show on the road shall we? DISCLAIMERS: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER, BURLESQUE, THE COVER PHOTO OR ANY OF THE SONGS MENTIONED WITHIN THIS STORY! Please enjoy this last chapter of our beloved 'Soul x Maka: Burlesque' and please leave some love! Happy reading! (:**

 _CHAPTER 16:_

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

Early in the morning, around 5am, I had decided it would be a good chance to sneak into the apartment really quick while Soul was asleep to grab some of my things before I talked to Liz, so I crept out of my hotel suite and walked over to the apartment complex in the darkness of Death City. A part of me felt like this would be a very bad idea, but what was the point in hiding? He knew I'd have to come back sooner or later. So did I. There's no reason to avoid that fact… Though… It really would've been a pain to have him bark all these question. Besides, there wasn't any time for that right now; the deadline for Liz to pay her mortgage was coming up fast and we needed to figure something out before we all go home, jobless.

I casually walked into the lobby of the apartment complex and fished my keys out of my bag as I approached the door to our happy home. When I finally got in front of the door, I took a couple deep breaths and prepared myself to be super quiet to make sure I didn't disturb Soul while he slept. Though, when I thought about it, there really wasn't much worry there. The man slept like a damn log!

I carefully opened the door slowly and quietly and entered the apartment without any trouble. _So far so good._ I tiptoed into the living room slowly to peek around and see if there was any sign of an awake Soul sitting around in the dark. I'll admit that the suspense of sneaking around made my heart pound louder than my footsteps, but I still managed to get by alright.

I poked my head around every corner to see if Soul was even the least bit awake, but when I looked into his bedroom with the door wide open (which had been pretty rare for him to sleep with his door open), he was dead asleep. I watched as his chest slowly rose up and down with every even breath he took and I looked at how the moonlight hit his pure, white hair, making it look silver as it shone down on his face. He looked so peaceful, sleeping there, but the bags underneath his eyes were visible to me, even as I was standing far away at his doorway.

I shook my head, remembering that I wasn't here for him, but I was here for my things. I snuck into my room and opened and closed drawers to grab the essentials. I figured that it'd be too risky to grab everything I usually wore on a daily basis, so I only grabbed a pair of leggings, a button up, a pair of fresh undergarments, deodorant and socks, stuffing them into a bag and making haste as I did so.

By the time I was finished packing my things for the day, I walked out of my room, only to find Soul in the same exact position he was in when I arrived. When I looked at him, I found myself entranced once more, so to soothe my need, I walked into his room and sat on the floor next to his bed. When I got close enough to look at him good enough, I saw that Soul's eyebrows were furrowed in his sleep and his teeth were clenched behind his tight lips. He must've been having a bad dream or something.

 _Poor thing… I swear, what would you do without me, huh?_ I lightly rubbed the space between his eyebrows to smooth them out and get him to relax a bit more, though he almost started to stir in his bed while I did so. I didn't really care, though. I still sat there, staring at him as I tried to calm his thoughts. I slightly moved his white, fluffy bangs to the side and out of his eyes and with that, his jaw began to relax as well. He looked a lot more serene and content with my touch, though I couldn't stay beside him right at that moment.

Before I got too comfortable, I arose from my spot on the floor and began to walk out, but right when I did, I heard Soul turn in his bed and mumble something along the lines of 'Don't go.' I wanted to climb into bed and sleep beside him so he could rest easily, but I really couldn't afford to baby him right now. Let's be honest, he didn't really deserve my babying right then anyway. Though, be that as it may, I still couldn't help myself.

I walked into the kitchen, setting my belongings down on the couch and opened the fridge. Why I felt the need to start cooking his breakfast after all that happened? I don't know. All I know is that it felt like something that I should've done or would've done either way. Guess it just became a habit with time.

I quickly made bacon and scrambled eggs as quietly as I could and set it on a plate for him on the counter. Cleaning the dishes would've made too much noise, so I decided to leave it at that, but not before I grabbed a piece of paper, a pen and wrote a note to go along with the breakfast. After all was said and done, I left the breakfast, took my belongings and made it out of that apartment as fast as I could without being caught and sure enough, I managed to make it. _Leave it up to Soul to sleep through all that ruckus. I swear, if I wasn't around, he probably would've gotten robbed a long time ago… Anyway, now that that's out of the way, let's go take a trip to the club._

* * *

 _LATER THAT MORNING_

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

Waking up after a long rest made me feel a little better than I did when I fell asleep, but I was quickly knocked out of that feeling once a lingering scent found its way to my nose. It was Maka's scent. Catching that scent, my shoulders slumped back down as I sat up and I clearly remembered the event that happened yesterday which ended up in her disappearing on me.

I forced myself up out of bed and walked out into the living room, mindlessly. I tiredly rubbed the sleep out of my eyes with a slight groan when my eyes wandered over to my keyboard in the left corner of the room. _Hmm… Maybe if I play a little, I'll be able to cheer up some._ I sat down in front of my keyboard and stared at the black and white keys. When a familiar song popped into my mind, my fingers became to dance over the keys on their own as the song opened up and I sang the lyrics.

 _VARSITY FANCLUB – BABY STEPS_

 _(Ohh) (Yeah yeah)_

 _Admit it_

 _We're finished_

 _You don't want me no more_

 _(No)_

 _Like a night mare_

 _I lived it_

 _It was too big to ignore_

 _(Ooh)_

 _I hear the sounds_

 _But they pass me by._

 _My hazard lights are flashing_

 _Somebody, anyone -_

 _Help cause it's an emergency._

 _Someone just wounded my heart._

 _So help_

 _Its like a bad surgery_

 _And now it's time to recharge._

 _I'm starting over_

 _Taking_

 _One, two, baby steps._

 _Three, four, baby steps._

 _Five, six, baby steps._

 _I'm starting over again._

The lyrics naturally flowed off of my tongue and honestly, I didn't really mean to sing such a sad song, but the lyrics were just a perfect reflection of how I was feeling. I knew I had it bad and I knew I did wrong, but I don't want to lose this one chance I have with Maka. Although the song seemed a little depressing at first, in truth, it was actually melting away the troubles that hung over me like a rain cloud. It was weird how it worked, but I wasn't one to argue so I continued to play the song and sing along until the end.

 _Abandonded, yeah I'm crying._

 _It's like you left me so dead_

 _(So dead, so dead)_

 _I'm so broken, my love's frozen._

 _How do you live with regrets_

 _(Oh woah)_

 _I see the memories flash before my eyes._

 _My tank is running empty_

 _Somebody rescue me._

 _Help cause it's an emergency._

 _Someone just wounded my heart._

 _So help_

 _It's like a bad surgery_

 _And now it's time to recharge._

 _I'm starting over_

 _Taking_

 _One, two, baby steps._

 _Three, four, baby steps._

 _Five, six, baby steps._

 _I'm starting over_

 _Taking_

 _One, two, baby steps._

 _Three, four, baby steps._

 _Five, six, baby steps._

 _I'm starting over again._

 _It's unexplainable_

 _Kinda unobtainable_

 _When the person you love ain't enough._

 _I feel so pitiful_

 _Look at my face_

 _You'll know the pain is in my eyes._

 _I need some help._

 _Help cause it's an emergency._

 _Someone just wounded my heart._

 _So help_

 _It's like a bad surgery_

 _And now it's time to recharge._

 _Help cause it's an emergency._

 _Someone just wounded my heart._

 _So help, it's like a bad surgery_

 _And now it's time to recharge._

 _I'm starting over_

 _Taking,_

 _One, two, baby steps._

 _Three, four, baby steps._

 _Five, six, baby steps._

 _I'm starting over_

 _Taking,_

 _One, two, baby steps._

 _Three, four, baby steps._

 _Five, six, baby steps._

 _I'm starting over again._

I played the last few notes and ended the song with a slight smile on my face. _Yeah, I'm gonna start things over with Maka and we'll have a clean slate. Once we get past this, we'll come out even stronger together and I promise that I'll never make the same mistake again. Things are gonna start looking up from here._

 ***GRUUUUUMMMBLE*** Once I finished my song, my stomach began to grumble and I realized that I had almost completely forgotten about breakfast. I got up from my seat and walked into the kitchen. On the counter, to my surprise was an already-made plate of bacon and scrambled eggs that was just waiting for me. _Hmm, I don't remember leaving out any food yesterday and I'm pretty sure that Maka washed the dishes yesterday morning. Besides, this food looks freshly made… Could Maka have made this? She isn't here, is she?_

I shuffled over to Maka's room and as I half-expected, she was nowhere to be found. However, her room looked a little off from when I had checked on it last night. Her dresser drawers were open, atop the dresser, some of her toiletries were missing and the clothes that were scattered all over the place last night were now stuffed in the ajar drawers, messily. _Well she's not here, but she_ was _here. She must've came in earlier when I was still asleep. Come to think of it, I thought I felt someone's touch on my forehead when I was sleeping… Could it have really been just my imagination or was it really Maka who was touching me? Eh, it's not a stretch so it's safe to assume that it was her. Hmm…_

I went back into the kitchen and next to the plate of food that she left for me, there was a note with her hand writing on it. To my curiosity, I picked up the note and read it carefully, making sure not to get my hopes up about anything. For all I knew, she could've written that she was leaving me for Hiro. With a thought like that in my mind, who wouldn't be a little on guard about something like this?

 _Soul,_

 _I left some food here for you earlier when I came to get my stuff. Heat it up and eat it because by the time you're reading this, it has probably been sitting out for a couple hours. I won't be coming home tonight and I'm gonna be busy today so don't try to contact or find me. I'll be fine, don't worry._

 _P.S. We'll talk about it some other time._

 _\- Love, Maka_

 _That is so like her._ I chuckled to myself after reading the note and I slapped it down on the counter, picking up the plate of food and microwaving it.

 _Leave it to Maka to take care of the guy she's mad at out of the kindness of her heart. She really does need to learn how to stand her ground. Still, I guess she is toughening up a little, saying that she isn't coming home tonight. I can respect that if she wants a little more space, but I don't really think that we should keep holding this thing off; and to be honest, I don't really like the idea of waiting around in the dark. Jeez, I just don't know…_

In truth, I really did feel bad about this whole ordeal; that's why I wanted to get past this quickly so that we could just put it behind us and continue on with each other, hand in hand. I didn't like that I was being told that she didn't know if she would want to come home to me tonight and I didn't like being told that I couldn't check up on her to see if she was still in good hands. I especially didn't like not knowing where we stood. She was mad; I understood that, but she was acting like she couldn't even stand to look at me or even hear my voice and it killed. Really bad. My heart was telling me that everything would turn out okay, but when my mind got involved, everything my heart was trying to convey was morphed into the worst case scenario.

 _Damnit, I can't sit around like this. I know I'm not supposed to force this, but if I keep this up, I'm gonna go crazy with confusion! That's it, I'm going after her and I don't care what she says about it. Besides, cool guys don't leave the woman they love to go off on her own while they sit the sidelines. No way am I doin' that._

Forgetting my breakfast, specially made by Maka, I speed walked back and forth from my room to the bathroom to get ready to go out and start looking for Maka. _Believe me, once I've found you, Maka, I'm not letting you walk away again._

* * *

 _MEANWHILE_

 _LIZ'S P.O.V_

Back at the club, while Kid was running off to every bank in Death City to see if they could do something about the mortgage date being pushed back, I was rummaging through my papers from my desk. I was 100% sure what I was really looking for, but what I did know was that I was looking for something. Anything to get me out of the hole I've dug myself in. From business propositions to bank orders, papers were flying all over the room as I tossed the hunk of junk over my shoulder in search for something even better to come along.

Then, of course without knocking, Maka, out of breath, slammed open the door to my office and let herself in. She took a second to compose herself and catch her breath before she explained herself and I could say to her was, "This better be good, Albarn. What do you need?" Maka fixed herself up and looked at me seriously with a determined glint in her meadow green eyes.

"All I need is your attention. See, I was looking through the library last night and I think I found something that might help you out of this mortgage issue with the club. I know I shouldn't be poking my nose in your business, but I just-," I interrupted her midsentence because from the sound of it, she was going to drag on and on if I hadn't.

"Spit it out, Maka. What did you find?" I asked, dropping my papers, leaning over my desk and linking my hands together atop the desk. Maka smiled, still looking quite determined. "Have you ever heard of air rights?" she asked, throwing me off guard a bit. _Air rights? What the hell…_ I shook my head and answered her frankly. "No, I don't. Care to explain?" I urged. That's when Maka crossed her arms and explained her devious plan that surprised even me. The longer I listened, the more hope filled me to the brim and when everything started coming together, all I thought was, _'If this girl is right about everything, she deserves a raise…'_

* * *

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

The idea popped into my head when I took that last look at that book in the library the night before. You see, air rights are pretty much the rights that you own to the space that is above the property that you own. Since Liz and Kid bought the space for the Burlesque club, they own the air that's above the club and they can determine who can use it, what can be within it, you know, stuff like that. I remembered Hiro telling me that night that he took me out to dinner that first time; he told me that he owned most of the air rights in Death City, meaning that he can determine what can be within the space he owns. I also remembered how he said that he 'bought' those air rights…

In that book in the library, I studied up on business and property ownership. When I woke up and took one last look at the book, I saw a short section about 'Air Rights' and when I took a closer look, I read the paragraph only to read that these air rights can be bought off of a property owner and used to their own advantage; much like what Hiro did. With that idea in mind, I figured that if Liz and Kid could sell their air rights to a high bidder, then maybe, just maybe they could pay off their mortgage with the money that they receive. When I told Liz about my plan to sell the air rights, she jumped right on board, but the next part was up to her.

"Do you know anyone who would bid high enough to buy off the air rights?" I asked. Liz frowned a bit and looked down at her twiddling thumbs.

"Of course I know people who would go above and beyond for the sake of their companies, but why would they want to buy off the air rights if there wasn't any real gain for them?" she pointed out. She had a point. I sat back in a chair and thought hard about what would possibly push people to _have_ to buy the air… That's when a memory flashed in my mind.

When I went to Hiro's place and saw the model of Death City, there was a huge skyscraper where the club was supposed to be. He had planned to knock down the club if Liz couldn't pay off the mortgage and replace it with the tall building. I had meant to tell Liz about this sooner, but I guess with all the commotion that's been going on lately, it almost slipped from my mind… _Soul… NO, no, we have more important matters to be worrying about. Shake it off, girl, save it for later._

I shook my head and quickly sat up from my chair, making Liz look up in surprise. I made haste in telling her about Hiro's demolition plan.

"I almost forgot to tell you about Hiro! I went to his penthouse yesterday morning and I found a model of Death City in one of his rooms. All this time, he planned to knock down the club and replace it with a skyscraper almost as large as the building he owns now if worse came to worse with the mortgages not getting paid off. All this time I thought he was gonna help us…" I trailed off at the end, feeling a little guilty. Liz came around and patted my back consolingly and smiled.

"Don't worry, you didn't know. It's a good thing you told me about his plan though because I think I've got something that's gonna save all of our asses," she smiled even brighter, looking so sure of herself that she is certainly going to come out on top in the end. I listened to her thoroughly and at the end of it all, we gathered all of our things, sent Kid to get the paperwork necessary for the deal and got moving on the plan right away. I walk with confidence next to Liz as we approached the next tall building next to our humble little home that we called 'Burlesque' and paid the big boss a visit.

* * *

"P-Please f-f-fo-follow m-me…" the familiar, pink haired man instructed as he wobbled nervously off to the elevator with slow, weak steps. I hadn't noticed Liz watching me, but when she noticed I was staring at the man a little too much, she whispered into my ear, "Yeah, that's Crona; Patty's boyfriend, remember?" I gasped a little to myself at the slow realization that he was one of the groomsmen from the wedding that literally happened two nights ago. I mentally slapped myself for not realizing sooner.

"Really? I didn't know he worked here!" I whisper-shouted to Liz. She giggled a little and nodded knowingly. "Patty and Crona met outside of this building one night and they've been stuck on each other ever since. Guess she likes the shy type; can't say I'm not the same in that sense, though," she explained. We fell silent after that and hopped on the elevator after Crona, watching as he trembled the whole way up.

"That was some party last night, huh, Crona? Do you remember me? Maka Albarn?" I asked, wanting him to feel less tense around me. I felt a little bad watching him get so nervous around us like he was uncomfortable. Crona slowly turned his head back to me with a look of pain and fright plastered on his face.

"Oh, y-yes. I remember you. You were that short, skinny girl that sang up on stage," he said, still looking extremely out of his element. I nodded with a grin. "That's me! You looked great when you were paired with Patty. You two make a great couple," I complimented. Crona's cheeks flared tomato red, hearing Patty's name and he smirked a bit, still looking kind of scared. "Oh. T-Thank y-you," he murmured.

"How did you like the reception last night, Crona?" Liz asked, following my lead. Crona's eyes shot wide and the look of horror returned. "I hated it. Definitely not for me," he stated bluntly. Liz kept smiling and she tilted her head to the side. "Why do you say that? You looked great up there," she complimented, but Crona only shook his head and shrunk. "W-Well, I don't really know how to deal with weddings. No, not at all. There were all these people staring and so many people were asking questions and trying to talk to me. It was horrible!" he explained. I guess with his personality type, it's not surprising for him to not like large crowds like you would find at a wedding. We continued to talk about the wedding up until we reached the top floor and a loud ding rang into our ears.

"W-We're here," Crona whispered, walking out of the opening elevator doors and into a large office with a short, black haired lady with glasses sitting behind a long, wooden desk neatly cleared with a stack of papers in the left corner of her desk. His wobbly walk of terror seemed even more wobbly than when we were on the first floor, but that was probably because of the cold calculating look the boss woman had on when she pushed up her glasses at the sight of us.

"M-Ms. Azusa, y-yo-you h-have-." The lady known as Azusa interrupted Crona with a strong, sophisticated voice that was loud and sharp.

"I see. You are dismissed, Crona," she announced. Crona shook as he bowed his head and hurried out of the office. We stepped up to Azusa's desk and bowed in fornt of her out of respect.

"Hello, Liz. Company. Raise your heads, please," Azusa greeted us. We did as she asked and she signaled us to have a seat in the two seats in front of her desk and so we did. As Liz began the meeting, I pulled the papers Kid gave us out of my pocketbook, ready to sign.

"It's been a long time, Azusa. I assume that business is running smoothly as usual?" she asked, making small talk. Azusa pushed her glasses up with a slight glare on the side of the lens.

"That's right. Now, what brings you into my office today, Elizabeth?" Azusa asked getting straight to the point. Liz smiled and sat up in her seat, looking Azusa dead in her eyes with a determined glint in her eyes.

"I came to make an offer to you. You see, Hiro Shimono is planning something that could put both our businesses in jeopardy and I think I have found a way that both of us can come out of this battle unscathed," she started. She even had me on the edge of my seat with the way she was talking. I cut in for moral backup since I was the one who witnessed everything first hand.

"Yes, Hiro is planning to buy off our burlesque club next door to knock it down and build an entirely new penthouse skyscraper almost as large as the one he currently owns when the bank takes possession of our property… if the bank takes possession of our property," I explained. Azusa seemed to listen carefully, but I could tell that she was only piecing together what we have given her so far, so we obviously had to push her a little more, which Liz was happy to do.

"By the end of today, if my husband and I don't pay the mortgages off on the club, the bank will take it over and sell it to someone who can. Hiro had given me a generous offer of $500,000 for the mortgages if push comes to shove and I'm thinkin' that I just might take it if a better offer doesn't come along. Either way, though, Hiro will get his hands on the club and bye-bye goes the club and hello to the new skyscraper, towering over your poor, little building, making it no different from any other run-down business on the block," Liz prompted. Azusa was rubbed her chin with her thumb and index finger as she thought of it and she seemed to be buying every last bit of it. _So far so good._

Azusa took a minute to think about it, but then she let out a deep sigh and said, "I'm listening." Liz and I smirked at each other and set the papers down in front of her.

* * *

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

I rode my motorcycle all throughout Death City and searched all of Maka's favorite places to go when she needed to kill time, thinking that maybe she was off running around with someone. I checked coffee shop, the library, the park… Everywhere I looked was clear of her. No one had even seen her. _How hard could it be to find one woman? I know that she doesn't have work until later tonight, so she wouldn't be there until around 6pm. It's only about 2 right now so if I were Maka, where would I be in the middle of the afternoon?_ I did this for about two hours and then decided that I'd check at the last place I'd be on today of all days; Black*Star and Tsubaki's house.

I drove up to the house and parked in their driveway, seeing that their car is still here. I was a little hesitant to walk up to their door and ring the bell because I was afraid that if Maka really wasn't here, then I'd be interrupting the newlyweds, but I ended up forcing myself to do it anyway.

 ***DING DONG*** I rang the doorbell and about a minute later, Tsubaki opened the door with wide eyes when she saw that it was me.

"Soul? What are you doing here?" she asked. I cut right to the chase. "Is Maka here? I need to talk to her," I said. Tsubaki frowned and shook her head, much to my disappointment. "I'm sorry, Soul. I haven't heard from or seen her since the wedding," she said. My shoulders slumped and I heaved an exaggerated sigh to let all my frustration out. Literally, I had been chasing her all day and I was starting to get a little hopeless. Tsubaki took note of this.

"Why don't you come in for some tea? You look a little tired," she offered. I paused for a minute to process what she said, but I ended up nodding my head anyway, letting her lead me in and shut the door behind us. We walked into the kitchen where Black*Star sat with his feet up and his arms crossed behind his head. When Black*Star saw me walk in, his big, goofy grin spread wide on his face and he loudly greeted me.

 **"** **HEY SOUL! WHAT'S UP, MAN! I MISSED YOU LAST NIGHT! WHERE DID YOU RUN OFF TO, HUH!?"** he shouted. I flinched a little at the burst of his voice and hit him upside the head as I took a seat next to him.

"Hey man, and I left early with Maka. We were both feeling a little buzzed," I said, still frowning quite a bit at the remembrance of our night together and then all that happened the day after that. It made me feel like such a scumbag. Star also took note of the glum look and he altered his attitude to fit the mood.

"Hey, dude, what's wrong? You look really down. Did you and Maka get into another fight?" he asked. I nodded my head, but then decided that it'd probably be best if I started from the beginning. Tsubaki handed me a cup of tea and excused herself to 'go to the grocery store since they've ran out of food for tonight's dinner', but I knew that wasn't the real reason. She excused herself because she wanted me and Black*Star to talk about my issue with Maka by ourselves and her with Maka.

"Alright, tell me what's up," Black*Star said, sitting back in his chair and slinging an arm behind it. I took a deep breath and began.

"Well, it all happened at the reception. During the reception, I got a call from Sarah and she was talking all this type of nonsense about her having to be my center of attention and what not. Long story short, I dumped Sarah over the phone and got hammered. Maka and I started drinking and dancing, y'know, having a good time. We went home early that night and I don't know, I guess we were both feeling the mood, so we had se-." Star cut me off to yell in surprise.

 **"** **YOU AND MAKA HAD SEX?! DUDE, WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SOONER! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU AND BOOKWORM MAKA HAD-!"** I cut him off now and snapped at him so he would calm down. "Shut up, you damn idiot and let me finish!" I shouted. Black*Star stayed silent and I continued explaining.

"So after we had sex, we told each other that we loved each other and she slept in my arms that whole night. The next morning, Sarah called me and said that she was gonna pick up the last of her stuff. She kind of forced me into it, but I figured that the least that Maka and Sarah know about each other, the better off Maka and I would be, so I kept it from her," I explained. Black*Star shook his head at me.

"Bro, you should've known that shit was gonna stir if you kept it from Maka and then she found out later on. It would make you look like a total assbag," he scolded. I nodded in agreement; I couldn't even argue because I knew damn well myself that Star was right. Anyway, I continued on with the story.

"I know, I know. Later on that morning, Maka said she was leaving and that she'd be back in a little bit, so I let her leave. While Maka was gone, Sarah came for her stuff and I tried to rush her out and of course, with my luck, while I was rushing her, she walked into Maka's room and saw all the stuff. She totally started to flip out. Then, I guess, I don't know, Maka must've came in at some point when I was trying to tell Sarah that I would never cheat on her because I have too much respect for her. When Maka was watching, Sarah kissed me and Maka ran away. I've been trying to find and contact her ever since," I finished, slumping down in my chair in defeat.

When I finished my long explanation, Black*Star punched me harshly on the arm, but I didn't argue; I deserved every bruise, scratch and scar.

"You're such a damn idiot, Soul. Do you realize what could be going on in Maka's head right now, seeing some shit like that?" he scolded once more. I nodded, much like if I were a kid getting scolded by an adult (which is weird because Star acts more childish than I do). "Have you been able to get in touch with Maka at all?" he asked. I shook my head. "I've called Maka tons of times, I've tried to text her and I've even left a voicemail last night, but she hasn't responded to any of them. All I got was a note that she left in the kitchen for me this morning when she came to get her stuff while I was asleep," I said. Black*Star sat down in his chair and looked at me with a cocked eyebrow.

"What did the note say?" he asked. I handed him a folded up note that I kept in my back pocket; it was the one that Maka left me. He read over it and his glare softened as I sighed. "You're not completely fucked at least," he sighed, lazily passing the note back over to me. It was my turn to cock an eyebrow and him. "What do you mean?" I asked. Black*Star pointed at the ending part of the note where it said, '-Love, Maka.' I understood almost immediately what he was trying to tell me.

"No matter what you do, man, I swear, that girl could never hate you. You've called her a slut, made her cry, kissed your ex-fiancé right in front of her and she still loves you. You better hold onto this girl and make sure you never let her go, y'hear?" he said. I nodded my head and got up from my seat.

"There's one last place that I have to check. I have to find Maka and make things right," I stated. Black*Star threw up a thumbs up and got up with me, winking an eye. "And make sure that after you two make up, finish it off with some make-up sex, got it?" he instructed. I punched his arm roughly and ran out of the house with a goodbye wave.

 _That Black*Star, I swear… Always ruining his moments to shine. Can never just be serious for more than 5 minutes._ I hoped back on my back and started speeding in the direction of the club. _If she's not there, then I don't know where else she could be. Don't worry, Maka. I'm coming for you and when I find you, everything'll be okay again, promise!_

* * *

 _MAKA'S P.O.V_

"Whew! What a day!" I slumped down into one of the bar stools next to Liz and Kid who were laughing in a congratulatory fashion. The couple smiled at me and we laughed together, feeling very relieved that everything has been taken care of. After the meeting with Azusa, she ended up signing the papers to give us the money to pay off the mortgages, feeling like she was backed into a corner and we rushed over to the bank to reach the deadline. After the bank ran all the paper work, we paid off everything we owed in time and were even told that we had left over cash from the air rights money, which Liz decided would be put towards the remodeling of the club.

"Maka, you were great today. I can't even believe that we managed to save all this in just a few hours. You really outdid yourself this time, girly," Liz complimented. I blushed and took a swig of the drink that the waiter placed in front of me. The couple told me early that the drinks today were on the house since I managed to save them from a repo.

"Thank you, Liz," I thanked gratefully and Liz shook her head at me. "No, thank you, Maka," she said. Kid nodded his head and got up from his seat beside Liz.

"Now, if you ladies will excuse me, I've got some stitching to rework before today's show. The club might be saved, but the symmetry on this costumes haven't!" he shouted before he scurried off to the dressing room. Liz and I giggled to ourselves as we watched him frantically run back and forth in the club to fix his 'masterpieces'.

Soon after our private conversation, the dancers began to file in through the front door, talking and giggling as they made conversation with each other. Liz had planned to tell the coworkers about the paid off mortgages when everyone was gathered, so we waited until everyone was present. I watched each girl walk in one by one and when my eyes lingered toward a tall, purple headed lady I caught her looking back at me, only to glare and then snootily lift her nose up in the air like a prissy princess. I shrugged my shoulders to myself and thought, _'I guess some things will never change around here.'_

When all the dancers were present, Liz walked up to the stage and grabbed a mic, turning it on and grabbing everyone's attention. Liz motioned for me to come up to the stage, next to her and I bashfully followed. I timdily walked up next to the boss lady and she slung an arm, playfully around my shoulders.

"Can I have everyone's attention please?" she spoke into the microphone. All the bartenders, dancers and bandmates all turned towards her and listened. "I've been made aware that rumors about the club's mortgages have been floating around among the staff here at Burlesque and have worried a lot of you about what you'll do if the place closes down," Liz stated, seeing the girls all begin to frown sadly. Then Liz smiled and hugged me closer into her side.

"Well, I would like to announce that today, thanks to our little Maka Albarn up here, that everyone is keeping their jobs because we have just paid off everything that we owe the bank and I would also like to announce that our trusty little club is going underway for a makeover!" she shouted. Everyone cheered and clapped their hands, happily buzzing amongst themselves. They clearly love this place just as dearly as I do with the way that they all looked excited to stay, working at Burlesque. I even took a peek at Blaire, only to see a small smirk etched on her face. _We did it… We really did it._

At the last moment, I saw someone burst through the front door of the club while everyone was talking and when I looked up to see who it was, it was the one person who I was not ready to see.

 _Soul… Did he come to find me? What am I even going to say to him? He's coming right for me, I have to think of something! Shit, too late._ When Soul was just about to walk up to me, I raced to the dressing room and tried to shut the door behind me, but a foot blocked its way.

"C'mon, Maka, you can't keep avoiding me like this," he said in the softest and sweetest voice that automatically made me stop what I was doing. I froze for a minute and saw his rose red eyes peeking through and looking back down at me with a hint of despair within them. I could tell that he was genuinely sorry and wanted me to hear him out. Also, the whole mortgage thing was not a problem anymore, so I couldn't use it as an excuse to get away from the subject. Thinking all these things, I let go of the door and backed up, letting him enter and close the door behind him.

I looked up at him sadly and whispered a 'hey' to him. He took a deep breath and greeted back. I refused to meet his eyes after all that's happened; I was too afraid that if I did, I would start to cry and I had already cried way too many tears over this stupid situation. I wanted nothing more than to just drop it and pretend like we were still okay, but we're not. Not until we talk about it; and I knew that. So, what I did was I stood there in front of him, squirming under his gaze and waited for him to break the silence in the room. It took a minute or two, but eventually, the words found its way.

"Maka… I should've told you when I got the phone call. I'm sorry. I caused this whole misunderstanding and it hurt you; made you think that you weren't the only one, but Maka, you are. You've always been the only one," he said, sincerely. I looked up at his eyes when he said this and I saw the tears threatening to drop from the side of his eyes. _I guess I wasn't the only one who was hurting over this._ I reached up to his face and wiped the tears away as he jumped at my sudden touch. His eyes snapped wide and he looked down at me, still looking guilty and full of emotion.

"But how can I believe you, Soul? How do I know that you're not just trying to play me like Hiro did? I don't want to get hurt again," I whispered. Soul placed his hand over mine that rested on his cheek and he smiled down at me. I never had the intention of not forgiving him after all this, but I needed him to lay everything out on the table if we were gonna be together after all was said and done. Soul chuckled a little to himself and rubbed my cheek with his thumb.

"Because one day, I want you to meet me at the altar. Only this time, you'll be the one dressed in white," he said. I gasped at his words and my eyes shot open wide. A tear or two quickly escaped from my eyes as Soul wiped away the remaining streaks. I smirked up at him, shaking as I grew weak in the knees, staring into his beautiful, loving eyes that ensured that he meant every little word he spoke.

I tried to look down, but when I did, he lifted my chin and brought his lips up to mine, softly pressing them together in the sweetest of ways. _Someday, he wants to marry me… He's really… something else._ I hugged him closer to me and deepened the kiss a little, enwrapping myself in his warmth that I had unknowingly been longing for. _This is what I've always wanted. This right here… Is what I need. I need Soul just as much as he needs me, so I've decided. I will stay by his side with my head held high. Forget our pasts and rewrite them with our present and futures. This… this is love._

* * *

"Maka, are you ready? Everyone's all set up on stage," Liz called out from the other side of the dressing room. I nodded my head and got up from my vanity, following Liz out to the stage, hidden behind a curtain. For this number, I wore a little pair of lacey, black shorts and a matching black and red laced corset and some fishnet stocking with a garter belt. My black, pointed-toe pumps were perfect for this little outfit, so I paired them with the lingerie. My makeup was a dramatic red and black look with red and black smoked out eyeshadow, winged out eyeliner and matte red lips. As for my hair, I decided to make it a wavy mess that brought out this bad-girl look that the outfit was screaming. It all seemed too perfect, not only because it looked great with my body type, but because I picked it because they were Soul's favorite colors. _How's he gonna react to this little number?_

On stage was a bunch of huge letters that spelled out 'BURLESQUE'. I laid out on top of the 'E' in the middle as my dancers did with the other 8 letters. The lights were dimmed until the curtains opened up and the saxophones kicked in. I began to feel up the sides of my body and work my way up and then flared out my arms and standing atop the 'E'.

 _SHOW ME HOW YOU BURLESQUE – CHRISTINA AGUILERA_

 _Underneath the city lights_

 _There is a world few know about_

 _Where rules don't apply, no_

 _And you can't keep a good girl down_

 _She goin' through the club looking for a good time_

 _Gonna make that, shake that money on a dime_

 _Don't need a sugar daddy, she can work it just fine_

 _Up on the table, she'll be dancing all night_

 _Yeah, baby doll just comes alive_

 _Under the spotlight, all the girls wanna fall in line_

 _We say, hey, here come the ladies 'bout to give a little show_

 _Hey, here come the boys, we gonna show a little more_

 _Hit it up, get it up, won't let you rest_

 _Hit it up, get it up, this is not a test_

 _Hit it up, get it up, gotta give me your best_

 _So get your ass up, show me how you Burlesque_

 _Hit it up, get it up, won't let you rest_

 _Hit it up, get it up, this is not a test_

 _Hit it up, get it up, gotta give me your best_

 _So get your ass up, show me how you burlesque_

All the dancers and I shimmied and shook our hips to the beats of the music. On this number, some of the bartenders got in on this dance and they danced with some of the girls. Of course, Soul isn't a dancer so he only sat at the bar watching every step, but I made sure to give him the most attention out of the whole crowd. This was _his_ song that he wrote after all.

 _A little bit of naughty is a little bit nice_

 _She's a whole lot of glam, sweat, sugar, sex, spice_

 _Just shimmy, shimmy, strut, strut, give a little what, what_

 _Up on the tables, we'll be dancing all night_

 _Yeah, everybody just comes to life_

 _Under the spotlight, all the boys wanna fall behind_

 _We say, hey, here come the ladies 'bout to give a little show_

 _Hey, here come boys, we gonna show a little more_

 _Hit it up, get it up, won't let you rest_

 _Hit it up, get it up, this is not a test_

 _Hit it up, get it up, gotta give me your best_

 _So get your ass up, show me how you Burlesque_

 _Hit it up, get it up, won't let you rest_

 _Hit it up, get it up, this is not a test_

 _Hit it up, get it up, gotta give me your best_

 _So get your ass up, show me how you Burlesque_

 _Okay girls, let's show 'em how it's done_

 _It ain't over till we say and we've only just begun_

The dancers all clapped their hands and gathered in 3 groups. My group was in the middle and the lights went almost completely dark in the club as the music began to kick back in.

 _Lemme hear ya' say, yeah_

The first group to the far left of the stage shimmied their chest when the spotlight hit them. Next was my group's turn.

 _Say yeah,_

The bartenders gathered around me and grinded on me as I did them. It was all in good fun, but when the group broke, I still secretly blew a kiss to Soul and winked at him.

 _Say yeah,_

The group to the far right of the stage did a few small kicks and rolls of the hips when their spotlight turned back on and then suddenly, all the lights flashed on me as my short solo came back up.

 _SAY YEEEEEEAAAAAAH_

 _Hit it up, get it up, won't let you rest_

 _Hit it up, get it up, this is not a test_

 _Hit it up, get it up, gotta give me your best_

 _So get your ass up, show me how you Burlesque_

 _Hit it up, get it up, won't let you rest_

 _Hit it up, get it up, this is not a test_

 _Hit it up, get it up, gotta give me your best_

 _So get your ass up, show me how you Burlesque_

The song ended with us back on top of the letters and back into our original poses and then the letters' lights began to flash as the rest of the club's lights went out. The crowd cheered ferociously and the curtains began to close with the lights slowly turning back on. I climbed down from the 'E' and went back stage where all the girls congratulated me on a job well done today. I still felt a little bashful, getting so much attention from saving the club, but I really couldn't accept all the credit. When the girls thanked me and cheered me on, I told them that it was all thanks to Liz's plan to talk to Azusa. When the crowd of girls move back to Liz, I escaped to run right back down to Soul at the bar, purposely not changing before I went down to see him.

I ran straight for the bar and plopped down into my regular stool and there was Soul waiting right for me, leaning over the bar with his crossed hands and a sexy dazed look in his eyes.

"Hey, sexy, what's your name?" Soul teasingly asked. I leaned over the bar and looked him dead in the eyes with the same look he was giving me. He only grinned brighter and a smirk came to my face as well.

"Are you sure you should be asking? Won't you're girlfriend get upset?" I asked, pouting my lip. Soul chuckled and bit his lip, still giving me that sexy-droopy eyed look. He never broke his gaze off of me and honestly, it made me squirm a little, but I had to hide it in front of him. He clearly was able to tell, but I still tried my best to play it off.

"Nah, my girlfriend's already talking to the handsomest, coolest dude in the club right now as we speak," he said, smiling. I couldn't take it anymore. That damn look in his eyes made me pull him closer by the tie and boldly kiss him on the lips, to which he did not argue with.

When I released him, I looked back at his eyes with eyes full of lust and said, "You're too damn cute when you're like this." Soul laughed and kissed me again before we both let each other go.

"I've got a few more customers to go and then we can get out of here, alright babe?" he said loud enough for his coworkers to here, obviously to let them know to back off. I giggled and nodded, getting up from the bar. I ran off to the dressing room to gather my things when I had an idea. _Hmm…_ A devilish smirk was brought to my face and I put my little plan into motion, making sure nobody saw what I was about to do.

* * *

When we got back home, I took a deep breath in and out feeling like it's good to be back after all that's happened. Soul locked the door behind us and walked up behind me in the dark, wrapping his arms around me. His face was buried into the crook of my neck as he took a deep breath in and kissed my skin.

"I've missed you. I'm so glad you're back home," he whispered. I turned around, placing each hand on the side of his face and kissed him deeply. I placed a hand behind his head and deepened the kiss to give him the right picture. He quickly picked up on it and placed a hand on the back part of my thigh, urging me to lift myself up on him, which I happily was able to do. He picked me up and I dropped my stuff along the way, discarding one thing after another. First, it was my pocket book, next it was my cell phone, after that it was my black pumps, next it was my other bag full of clothes…

When we got to his room, he shut the door behind him, locked it and from there, it was all beginning to unfold.

 _NORMAL P.O.V_

Soul's and Maka's hearts began to race as they stepped closer and closer to the bed they first made love on just a few nights ago. So far, it was all beginning like it had before where he carried her and gently eased into everything, but this time, they were going all out.

Soul threw Maka on his bed and unbuttoned her long coat. While he was unbuttoning it, Maka was grinning widely, for she knew what he was about to find out. This was a risky thing to do, but Maka was feeling a little _bad_ today so who was she to care? Soul got to the last button and then he quickly removed the coat, ripping it off of her. When he got a good look at Maka's body, bathed in the moonlight shining from outside his window, his eyes widened like a kid in a candy store. There was his Maka, right underneath him wearing her little red and black number that she wore on stage when she was singing his song. The garter belt with the black fishnet stockings… the black and red laced corset… the black, lacey boyshorts… all in their glory, complimenting her curves quite nicely.

In truth, Soul had always pictured him taking her to the backroom after she came out in her little lingerie that she wore up on stage, but never would he ever have thought that it would come true; though this was obviously _waaay_ better than taking her to the backroom. Seeing her breathing heavily underneath him, chest heaving up and down, eyes half-lidded and filled to the brim with lust, lips slightly parted, he was _really_ ready to go this time.

"Wearing your costumes outside of the bar… you're a naughty one, aren't you, Ma-ka?" he teased, wearing that same sexy look he gave Maka back at the club. That sure did the trick for her. The same fire she felt at the club that she was trying oh-so desperately to fight was now reignited. Maka pulled down on the tie around his neck and slammed her lips onto his, undoing his tie in the process.

Tie, off. White button-up, off. Wife beater, off. She went to work on his buttons and stripped him half naked before he could even notice. Soul made a sudden move to enter his tongue into her mouth to distract her momentarily so he could rip off those fishnet stockings, and then he tore the garter belt into pieces. Each rip and tear made her shiver and seeing her strength to deny him wither brought a smile to Soul's face as he pressed their lips together deeper and kissed her harder.

Next on Soul's list was Maka's red and black laced corset. He tugged at the strings of the corset and when they came undone, he roughly began to take the thing apart. Maka hummed into his lips as he did this, confirming his thoughts from the other night that she prefers his rough treatment. _If rough is what she wants then rough is what she'll get._

Once the corset was completely torn from Maka's body and thrown to somewhere unknown in the room, Soul went straight to work on her boobs, massaging one and slightly digging his nails into them enough to make her moan and arch her back to give him more ground to cover. Soul's unoccupied hand traced a thin line down her abdomen and down to her panty line, where he ripped both sides of the lacey panties and discarded them. Maka was once again completely bare underneath him for the third time, but every single time so far, he has had to break free of her momentarily to admire her. So that's what he did. Soul broke their kiss and retracted his hand to use it to help prop him up higher above her as he let his eyes burn the image of her beautiful body into his memories forever.

"You're so goddamn gorgeous," he said, looking down into her eyes lovingly to assure her that even though things might be a little different tonight, he's still in this for the love. Maka, understanding this full well, smiled up at him and pulled him back down to her.

Maka's fingers wandered down to his belt and quickly undid it, much faster than the first time around. She threw it off to the side and moved back to the button of his pants, unbuttoning them and slipping them down so Soul could then kick them off, which he did. They were both moving pretty quickly tonight, but honestly, neither of them wanted this to end too quickly, so Soul took the liberty of making sure that tonight would be a looong night.

Soul slipped his boxers off and then returned back to Maka's chest. In one hand, his hand massaged and twisted her nipple while his mouth swished around the other, making sure to have his teeth graze her little bud, making her moan and hum the whole time. Maka on the other hand, while she was receiving Soul's treatment, she let her fingers become lost in his white strands of perfection and blushed as she let her shameless moans escape her lips and make their way to Soul's ears.

Soul's head popped back up and the two of his hands roughly gripped at Maka's sides, driving her crazy with anticipation. His hands began to wander lower and lower until they reached her thighs, which he propped up to bend and spread for him. His hands circled around to the inner part of Maka's thighs, making her breathing start huffing out of control. One finger trailing up Maka's inner thigh until it reached her clitoris and gently rubbed.

Soul's fingers greedily began to rub her soaking wet area, making her go drunk off of pleasure. She wanted for him to take all of her right then and there, but this wasn't that kind of night. No, things were going to be different tonight.

"Damn, baby, how much have you been waiting? You're so wet," he smiled devilishly down at her as her blush grew fiercer at his question. Maka's eyes could barely open up, so she only peeked up at him with one eye, half open.

"S-Soul…" she whispered.

"Mmm, yes, baby?" he answered. He was enjoying watching her squirm.

"Need… more…" she struggled to get out. Soul's smile never left since it found its way to his face. He knew just what she needed, but he wasn't willing to give her what she wanted before too soon, so he decided to tease her a little more since she's the one who started it, wearing that sexy-ass little number she came in here with.

"Need more of what? How am I supposed to know if you don't tell me?" he asked in a deep voice that made her hum to herself. She hoped that he didn't hear it, but of course he did. In fact, it gave him even more of a reason to tease her further.

"S-Soooull~."

"Yes, Maka?"

"M-More of…"

"More of what, baby?"

"T-touch me more…" she finally said; her words making her heart speed to an incredible speed. She was too drunk off of his pleasure that she couldn't have really cared how loud her heartbeat was, but she was almost sure that Soul could've heard it from a mile away. Soul smiled.

"Whatever you say, Maka," Soul said, proceeding to slip a finger inside of her womanhood. Maka, not expecting the sudden action moaned louder than she thought she would and her hips began to move to the rhythm of his finger. Soon enough, Soul slipped in a second finger and hooked his fingers to give her a rougher sensation that made her whimper even louder. It was his favorite sound that she made. The sound of her coming undone and he pleasured her. He loved it more than anything; maybe even more than her own singing voice, because anyone can hear her sing, but not everyone can hear these noises that she makes only for him. Her moans were always his favorite sound out of everything else.

Soul slipped in a third finger and picked up the speed as Maka's moans became closer together. Maka's hands were gripping at the sheets as her toes curled and Soul watched as her face turned to the side unintentionally during her little treatment.

As Maka came close, she began to moan Soul's name which made him even harder than before. He pumped his fingers faster and watched her furrow her eyebrows as he removed his fingers a few seconds too soon. Maka glared up at Soul and he laughed as he kissed her gently.

"I'm not letting you finish yet, baby. We've got a long night ahead of us," he whispered into her ear, grazing her ear with his teeth and then kissing her neck. She began humming and leaning up closer to him as she wrapped her arms around his back.

"Mmm… Soul," she called. Soul lightly bit her neck and sucked.

"Yes, my love," he answered briefly. He got right back to kissing on her neck. Maka took a while to answer him again because she was so lost in her own head, but eventually she began to talk to him again.

"I want you," she cooed. Soul had to hold himself back because he knew that it was true for him too. He wanted Maka. Bad. He needed to have her, he needed to feel her warmth, he needed to taste her on his tongue, he needed to prove his love to her, but they needed to be patient. After all, good things come to those who wait. Soul chuckled.

"Be patient. Don't worry, we're gonna have a lot of fun tonight," he assured. Maka smiled to herself in excitement for what's to come and Soul bit harder down onto her neck and sucked it greedily. Maka's fingernails dug slightly into his back to relieve some of her pent-up energy. She was really in the mood, just as Soul was, but it wasn't fair that she was getting all the attention, so when she found her opportunity, she flipped them over and got on top of him.

Maka looked down into his eyes with half-lidded ones that told him that she meant business. Maka's eyes wandered down to his scar that he despised so much. What she had in mind was about to make him love it, though. She dipped her head down and placed her tongue atop the beginning of the scar near his shoulder and she lightly bit it and sucked on it until a reddish-purplish spot was left behind. Soul groaned as Maka's tongue slid down the scar, licking every part of it with the very tip of her tongue. No one but Maka has ever done this to him, so when she first did it, it was a new found experience that surprised even him. Not even Sarah dared to go near his scar, but Maka, she was bold and he loved her bold side.

Soul's fingers tangled into Maka's blonde waves and when they did, she looked up at him with a dazed look as her tongue danced along the line of his scar. His eyes looked greedy with hunger for her and she smiled at this.

Next, Maka retracted her tongue and replaced it with her finger, tracing the scar down to his hip. Maka's finger then traveled to his manhood and up his length. Maka gripped his shaft and placed her thumb on the tip, swirling his pre-cum around the tip and making it his turn to wither in pleasure. She started off with slow pumps and Soul began to buck his hips which made her smile, seeing that she's getting her payback for earlier.

Soul groaned as Maka tightened her grip and quickened her pace. His eyes clenched shut and his eyebrows furrowed as his own sounds began to escape his lips. It was pleasuring for Maka to watch him get so riled up over her simple touch and it was also a confidence boost for her. At least she knew that she could pleasure her man the way that he needed to be.

Maka couldn't stand being away from those luscious lips of his, so she leaned in closer. As she slowly leaned in to kiss him, she had thought of a better idea. Maka's hand began to jerk while she inched closer to Soul's face, stopping right before his lips. Their lips were just barely touching, but the anticipation of the kiss aroused the two of them even more. Soul looked Maka in the eyes and then cast his eyes down to her precious pink lips. He went in for the taking, but Maka was not having that. No, she needed to get her revenge for him teasing her all night long.

"Ah-ah-ah," she scolded, placing her index finger gently atop his lips, jailing them and refusing him permission to press his lips against hers. "I've got other things in mind," she said, removing her finger and halting her other hand that was placed on his dick. Soul arched an eyebrow at Maka, easing back into his normal breathing pattern. Maka moved down lower on the bed until she was face to face with her boyfriend's proud, hard member.

Maka kept her grip on Soul and she slid her other hand down Soul's forearm, linking her fingers with his. Soul said nothing; he only watched in anticipation what Maka might've had in store for him next (though he had a pretty good idea). Next thing he knows, the tip of his girlfriend's tongue is teasing his head as it gives it small licks, later taking more of his head in her mouth until she's wrapped her mouth around it completely. Maka's head bobbed slowly as she took all of him in at once (ignoring her gag reflexes) and ran the flat of her tongue back up his shaft on her way back up.

Soul had to keep a handle on himself, trying his best not to buck his hips; he didn't want to hurt his baby girl, but she was making it way too hard not to. He knew that this little game had to give at some point and he was just about ready to throw Maka down and take all of her right here and now. The thought of becoming one with Maka made him even more aroused and it forced him to restrain himself to the best of his abilities; especially after what happened next.

As Maka sucked and licked her boyfriend until he was panting for air, Maka cupped his balls in her unoccupied hand and began to massage them, earning her a grunt from Soul. Soul bucked his hips, causing him to enter further into Maka's mouth and she mentally patted herself on the back for breaking him down this much. Soul's thrusts in Maka's mouth grew quicker and his toes began to curl at the sensation building up in him.

"Maka, I'm gonna-!" Just when Soul was about to warn Maka, it had been too late. Soul exploded into Maka's mouth, but she wasn't shy about it. No, instead, she drank his cum happily and licked her lips to make sure that not a single drop was lost. Soul watched every single move she made with eyes full of fire and passion. His hand pulled on Maka's wrist and he yanked her underneath him, where they switched postions; now he was hovering over her.

"Maka, I can't wait any longer," Soul admitted. Maka looked down at Soul's dick and sure enough, it was back to being as hard as a rock. Maka nodded in confirmation. Seeing this, Soul took a condom out of his nightstand. He pinched the tip of the condom and rolled it down on his manhood. After he finished prepping himself, he looked dead into Maka's eyes with a look full of sexiness and pure hunger. Soul positioned himself over Maka and he lifted her leg up over his shoulder. Good thing Maka was flexible!

Soul teased Maka's soaking wet folds by rubbing the tip of his dick over them. Maka shuttered at the feel of how big he is and her breath hitched, getting ready to feel him shove himself into her, but before that, he needed a little motivation. Soul smiled and bent down over Maka to whisper in her ear.

"Say my name," he instructed. His hushed tone made Maka hum in satisfaction.

"Mmmm… Soul…" she said. Soul entered Maka, shoving himself deep into her as his hand on her propped up thigh groped greedily at her skin. Maka gasped and smiled, feeling a familiar, rough sensation that she craved ever since their first night together. It was addicting to her; almost like a drug. To feel such tension and to feel just how big he is when they become one; it was a feeling to die for.

"C'mon, baby, say my name. Say it loud," he said louder than before as his speed quickened and he pounded deep inside of her. She generously showered Soul with her small, little moans that grew louder with each pump. Her hips moved simultaneously with his and she let him take control of her; mind, body and soul.

"Soouulll~" he moaned his name, giving him the motivation to pump harder. He grunted, hearing her calling out his name under his command. Taking over her and making her succumb to him like this was as sexy as it sounds and maybe even better. Soul took her other leg and put it behind his other shoulder, giving him more access to her sacred womanhood that only allowed him to enter.

"Ahh! Soooull… Ahhh…" her moans called needingly for him.

"Come on, baby… come on. Ack, damn you're so freakin' tight!" he grunted. The two of them continued to join together again and again in that same position until Soul had another idea. He was feeling a little experimental today, so why not?

Soul exited Maka, causing her to whimper from the lack of heat and he turned her onto her stomach, propping her up on her hands and knees. He bent her head down further and tilted her ass up even more to get better access to her vagina.

"S-Soul, what are you-."

"Shh, babe, I promise you're gonna love it," he assured. Maka nodded her head, giving him permission to take her and he rammed inside of her vagina once again for behind. Maka cried out louder, obviously feeling a lot more pleasure with this position. She arched her back in bliss and Soul grabbed a handful of hair, gently pulling it back so he could kiss her while he shoved himself deep inside her. He slid his tongue into her mouth and kissed her hard, nipping at her bottom lip.

"Mmm, Soul! More!" she cried. Soul smiled against her lips and shoved harder into her, placing a hand on the side of her hip and pulling it back into him as their skin clapped, echoing off the walls.

"You're a naughty girl, aren't you? You love it when I get rough with you like this, don't you? You love how it feels when I'm deep inside of you. Your body needs me," Soul whispered into Maka's ear. She screamed out passionately.

"Yes! Yes, Soul! Please…" she pleaded with him. He wasn't one to turn a lady in need down so he continued to pump hard and fast into Maka until the two of them saw their climax reaching closer and closer.

"S-Soul, I don't think I can, ahh, last much, AH, longer!" Maka informed. Soul leaned over Maka, massaging one breast and grazing her ear with his sharp teeth.

"Then cum with me, baby. Come on, let me hear you, Maka," he whispered. Maka was pretty much done for after that.

"A-Ahhh! Soooooull!" Maka shouted as she rode the waves of her high and slowly came down. Soul thrusted into her four more time and he was falling down from his high as well. Soul collapsed on top of an out of breath Maka and he too was at a loss of breath. They both laid there for a few seconds before Soul lifted himself off of Maka and discarded the condom.

Soul pulled Maka into his chest and threw the covers over their hot, sweaty bodies as they were still gasping for air. Maka cuddled deep into Soul's chest and eventually passed out from their love making, but not before Soul could utter out an 'I love you' and she could return the words before her consciousness escaped her. He too soon followed her suit and fell right asleep, protectively holding the one and only precious thing to him.

* * *

 _SOUL'S P.O.V_

My eyes cracked open as the light penetrated through the blinds of my window the next morning. It was rare for me to wake up so early and especially at a time like this, but after I turned my head to look at the angel peacefully sleeping beside me, I had no desire to go back to sleep.

I lifted the sheets up the slightest bit to see a sight that I hadn't really gotten a chance to enjoy for too long; the sleeping face of my Maka. The young woman, still undressed from our activities the night before bunched up closer in a fetal position when I lifted the covers, so I took the liberty of cuddling closer to her to replace the warmth of the blankets. Watching her comfortably and unconsciously scoot closer to my body warmed my heart and brought a smile to my face.

 _Yeah, this is how I want my life to be… Waking up every morning to my drop-dead gorgeous wife and the mother of my children._ I swiped away her ash blonde bangs out of her eyes as I watched her chest rise and fall with every even breath. _Yeah… Her eyes would flutter open and I'd caress her face, kissing her good morning. We'd argue over who'd get out of bed first only to end up agreeing to get up if the other does as well… I never thought that dream would ever be within my grasp, but here she is, sleeping soundly next to me just like I had always hoped. Man, I love this woman._

I waited impatiently for Maka to wake up, so I gently rubbed my nose against her button-nose in an attempt to wake her up.

"Makaaaa, how long are you gonna keep me waiting? Wake uuuupppp," I whispered as I nuzzled the tip of my nose against hers. Eventually Maka's droopy green eyes began to pry open and I caught her off guard by cupping her face with one big, soft hand and planted a soft, good morning kiss on her lips.

"Good morning, love," I whispered to her, being careful not to get too loud; she _did_ just wake up. Maka shivered slightly, hearing my voice and she tiredly smiled up at me. Before I knew it, Maka cupped my face in her hands and kissed me back. She continued to plant small pecks on my forehead, nose, cheeks, temples, etc. and I took the opportunity to lay her on top of my body where she looked down into my eyes with that pure look on her face. She planted one long kiss on my lips and whispers a 'good morning' back as we stared at each other, happily.

Maka pouted after a minute or two and then began to look down at my bare chest while her index finger traced circles on it.

"Soul, I'm hungry. Could you make me some pancakes?" she asked, sounding like a little kid while she pouted like a puppy dog. I puffed out my cheeks and pouted back at her.

"I don't wanna leave the bed yet," I whined.

"I don't either," she said. This was war.

"Please, Soul? I'll make you a big dinner tonight in return if you want," she offered. I smirked devilishly up at her and gripped her thighs, making her gasp.

"Nah, why don't you get up first so I can see my girlfriend's fine ass dress up in my shirt again?" he teased. Maka blushed and then giggled and I joined along.

"How about this? We'll both get up together and make breakfast together?" she offered. I smirked at her and nodded in agreement.

"Alright. Let's get up before I change my mind."

I pulled the covers back and got up out of bed to dress in my boxers and jeans from the night before. When I came across my long, white button-up dress shirt, I tossed it to Maka who caught it and stood before me. She must not've realized it, but I had been watching her as she began to put on my shirt. I watched the fabric slide over her arms as she put each arm in the sleeve and I watched as it draped over her curved body while she buttoned up each button from the button up; making sure that she left a couple buttons undone at the top to leave some wondering.

When my baby girl finished dressing, she began to walk out of my bedroom, leaving me behind, but I had forgotten something important to tell her, so I yanked her back into my chest. Her wide green eyes looked up at me as our bodies pressed together and I looked down lovingly into her eyes as I declared a three-worded phrase that every boyfriend should tell their girlfriend every morning.

"I love you, you know that?" I said. Maka's blush returned and she smiled up at me, clearly seeming pleased by my casual saying. She stood on her tippy toes to reach my lips and she kissed me thankfully.

"I love you too, honey," she sweetly responded. Maka quickly turned back to the door and made her way to the kitchen, leaving me to watch her walk away. Watching every step and watching her smile brightly by saying just one phrase… It had me thinking, _'Yeah, we'll definitely meet at that altar, Maka… and on that day, I'll vow to keep you happy like this at all times.'_

 _'_ _Meet me at the altar, Maka… I'll be waiting for you.'_

 **A/N:** **THE END! I just want to take this time to say that I've had a lot of fun making this series and working with you guys to see what would make this story better and I hope that you all will stick with me after this I close this series. It's been a long time coming, but it's been a fun ride so thank you for all your reviews and helpful comments! If you don't already know, I have started a new series based off of SoMa and if you guys liked this story, then I definitely recommend checking out my new series, 'Mama, I'm In Love With A Criminal'! I've already started off the story with two chapters and I'm going to get right back into working on it so I can move on top other ideas that I have for other couples. I'm thinking that the next series should be a NaLu fanfic! Just make sure to check up on that! Once again, thank you so much for your support and I hope that I'll get to hear from all of you in the very near future! I love all of you beautiful people so thank you for reading; live life to the fullest and happy reading! Stay beauitful, folks! (; :D**


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